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THE 

HOMCEOPATHIO 



VETEEIIABY DOCTOB 



GIVING THE HISTORY, MEANS OF PEEVENTION, 
AND SYMPTOMS OP ALL 



Diseases of the Horse, Ox, Sheep, Hog, Dog, 
Cat, Poultry and Birds, 



AND THE 



MOST APPROVED METHODS OF TREATMENT, 



-<3^ 



GEORGE H. HAMMERTON, V. S. 
r, 




CHICAGO: 

GROSS & DELBRIDGE, PUBLISHERS. 

1890. 




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COPYRIGHTED 1889 
BY GEOSS & DELBRIDGE. 



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Publishers' Preface. 



fHAT one plan of organism runs through the various forms of animal 



fejr life is an accepted fact of science. From this fact comes the natural 
|ij inference that similarity of organism gives rise to similaritv in dis- 
ease and calls for similarity of medicinal treatment. While rapid advance has 
been made in the care and treatment of man, the animals which serve him, 
particularly the horse and ox, are still the victims of the cruel and often 
fatal notion that they require massive doses of drugs. The most skillful 
veterinary practitioners have demonstrated that the horse does not require 
much more medicine or much stronger external applications than an adult 
man, except only when laxatives or anodynes are required. 

The chief defects in previous veterinary books for the masses have been: 
(1) Incomplete directions upon how to know what disease the animal is suf- 
fering from; (2) Disregard of the rational and humane rule that the dumb 
animal is to be treated upon the same principles as man. 

The most casual reader will notice the great care taken in the present 
volume to so fully describe diseases, before prescribing the treatment, as to 
clearly answer that most perplexing of all questions, "What is the matter?" 
Such careful description is the more imperative when two or more ailments 
are so much alike in symptoms as to be particularly liable to confusion. 
The parallel tables of symptoms — which are now so valuable in medical 
books upon the human family — are freely used in this work. Observation 
being the only means of determining upon the ailment of dumb animals, 
no pains have been spared to provide cuts which illustrate to the eye dis- 
tinctive symptoms which the patient, from lack of speech, cannot explain to 
the ear. 

Full directions having been given to decide what disease affects the ani- 
mal, the application of the humane rule of treatment above laid down is 
consistently observed. 

A separate part, boldly set off, is devoted to each animal treated, thus 
enabling the reader to confine his study to a specific limit when investigat- 
ing the needs of a particular animal, free from the distractions inseparable 
from books in which prescriptions are made for several animals in the same 

iii. 



IV. PBEFACE. 

chapter, or on the same page. The repetitions which this plan would other- 
wise involve are avoided by suitable cross-references, an arrangement which 
has materially reduced the size of the volume, without producing poverty 
of information. 

The author has acted upon the broad principle that many good men 
know more than one man, and has freely drawn upon a long list of the 
highest authorities, notably, Lord, Rush, Mayhew, " Stonehenge," Law, 
Harris, and Martin, the works of Lord and Rush being the basis of the 
treatment of the horse, ox and sheep. 

The publishers confidently claim a more popular style of language than 
has been heretofore attained in any similar publication, and a happier adapt- 
ability to the wants of the non-professional practitioner. 

GROSS & DELBRIDGE, 

48 Madison St., Chicago. 




Table of Contents. 
part I. 

THE HORSE AND HIS DISEASES. 

Introduction. Chapter I. — Signs of Health and Disease. Chapter II. — 
The Nervous System. Chapter III. — The Digestive System. Chap- 
ter IV. — The Organs of Circulation. Chapter V. — -The Respira- 
tory Organs. Chapter VI.— The Skin. Chapter VII.— The Urin- 
ary and Generative Organs. Chapter VIII. — The Eye and Ear. 
Chapter IX. — The Extremities. Chapter X. — General Diseases 
and Injuries. Chapter XI. — General Care 3-230 

PART II. 

THE OX AND HIS DISEASES. 

Chapter I. — The Nervous System. Chapter II. — The Digestive Or- 
gans. Chapter III. — The Organs of Respiration. Chapter IV. — 
The Skin. Chapter V. — The Urinary and Generative Organs. 
Chapter VI. — Miscellaneous Disorders and Injuries 233-290 

PART III. 
The Sheep and its Diseases 293-306 

PART IV. 
The Hog and His Diseases 307-318 

PART V. 
The Dog and His Diseases 319_34g 

PART VI. 
The Cat and its Diseases 349-366 

PART VII. 
Poultry and Large Birds 3(37_408 

PART VIII. 
Cage Birds and Their Diseases 409-426 

Forms of Remedies and Size of Dose vi., vii., vhi. 

Formulas 427-428 

v. 



List of Remedies Used in This Work. 



Aconite •• 3x trit. 

Antimonium Crud 3x trit. 

Antimonium Tart 3x trit. 

Apis Mel ,. . .3x dil. 

Arsenicum Alb 3x trit. 

Arnica Mont 2x dil. 

Belladonna 2x dil. 

Bryouia Alb 2x dil. 

Calcaria Cai b 3x dil. 

Calcaria Phos 3x trit. 

Camphora 2x dil. 

Cannabis Ind 3x dil. 

Cantharis 2x dil. 

Cocculus 2x dil. 

Cimicifuga 2x dil. 

Cina lx dil. 

Cinchona lx dil. 

Colchicum 2x dil. 

Colocjnth 2x dil. 

Digitalis 2x dil. 

Dulcaamara 2x dil. 

Euphrasia 2x dil. 

Ferrum Sulph 3x trit. 

Gelsemium lx dil. 

Glonoine 3x dil. 

Graphites 3x dil. 

Hamamelis lx dil. 

Hellebore 2x dil. 

Hepar Sulph 3x trit. 

Hydrastis 2x dil. 



Hyosyamus 2x dil. 

Iodine 3x dil. 

Ignatia 2x dil. 

Ipecac 3x dil. 

Kali Bich 3x trit. 

Kali Brom 3x trit. 

Kreosotum 3x dil. 

Lycopodium 3x trit. 

Murcurius Cor . . 3x trit. 

Murcurius Iod 3x trit. 

Murcurius Vivus 3x trit. 

Nux Vomica 3x dil. 

Opium 3x dil. 

Phosphorus 3x dil. 

Phos. Acid 3x dil. 

Phytolacca . . : 2x dil. 

Plumbum 3x trit. 

Podophj llin 3x trit. 

Rhus Tex 2x dil. 

Sabina 2x dil. 

Silicia 3x trit. 

Spigelia 3x dil. 

Spongia 3x trit. 

Stramonium 3x trit. 

Strychnia 3x trit. 

Sulphur 2x trit. 

Tart. Emet 3x trit. 

Thuja lx dil. 

Urtica Urens 2x dd. 

Veratrum Vir 2x dil. 



SPECIAL LIST. 



Chloral Hydrate, 
Arnica T.ncture, 



Calendula Tincture, 
Hamamelis Extract. 



VI. 



Size of Dose. 



For a Horse full-grown, 3 times the dose for a Man. 
" 3 years old, 2 " " " 

a 2 " 11 " " " 

" 1 year old, uaual dose for a Man. 

" G months old, § " " 

For an Ass full-grown, 2 to 3 times the dose for a Man. 

" 1 year old, usual dose for a Man. 

" 6 months old, f " " 

For a Mule, same as for an Ass. 
For an Ox full-grown, 3 to 4 times the dose for a Man. 

" 1 year old, 1 to 2 " " " 

" 6 months old, usual dose for a Man. 

For a Sheep full-grown, the dose for a Man. 

" 6 months old, 1 " " 

° 3 

For a Goat, rather more than for a Sheep. 
For a Hog full-grown, the dose for a Man. 
" 6 months old, § " « 

a 3 a 1 a a 

° -i 

For a Dog full-grow,n, the dose for a man, less for small breeds. 

" 6 months old, 1 dose for a Man. 

u Q a 1 a a 

u 3 

Doses for Cats, Poultry and Birds are given with the treatment. 

Forms of Remedies. 



Tinctures. — A tincture is an extract obtained by subjecting a drug to 
the action of strong or dilute alcohol, or whisky, and is a fluid in form. 

Dilutions. — A dilution is made of a given part of a tincture to stated 
parts of alcohol or water. The first dilution, for example, is composed of 



FORMS OF REMEDIES. 



one part of the tincture to ten of alcohol or water; the second, of one part 
to one hundred, etc. Dilutions and triturations are both thus compounded 
on the decimal scale, and in this form are found at the homoeopathic phar- 
macies, being bj the latter marked lx, 2x, 3x, etc. The subjoined illustra- 
tions will be of service in using medicines: 

1st dilution (lx), 1 part of tincture to 10 of alcohol or water. 

2d " (2x), 1 " " 100 " « 

3d " (3x), 1 " " 1,000 

4th " (4x), 1 " " 10,000 " " 

Etc., etc., etc. 

It will be seen that there is a wide difference between one dilution and 
another in the amount of the drug involved. Though in some cases it may 
make no material difference in the effect whether the first or second is used, 
in others it is absolutely essential to give that which is recommended, par- 
ticularly in using very powerful or very poisonous drugs, which are to be 
administered in the high dilutions. 

Triturations. — A trituration contains a given part of the drug ground 
with stated parts of sugar-of-milk, being oviously in the form of a powder, 
the first trituration contains one part of the drug to ten of sugar-of-milk; 
the second, one part to one hundred, etc. The characters "lx," "2x," etc.^ 
are used to distinguish them. Observe the same cautions about using the 
particular trituration prescribed as were given above for Dilutions. 

Decoctions and Infusions. — A. decoction is made by boiling the med- 
icinal substance in water; an infusion, by pouring boiling water upon it and 
allowing it to cool. 

Solutions. — These are made by dissolving the medicinal substance in 
some liquid, as alcohol or water. A "saturated solution" is alcohol contain- 
ing as much of a substance as it will hold in solution. 

Lotions or Washes. — These are mixtures of medicinal agents and 
water, for local use. Formulas are given on page 427. 

Cerates. — A cerate is a compound of a drug with oil or oily sub- 
stances, and formulas for the same, with the uses, are given on page 427. 

Ointments. — These are similar to cerates, and their formulas are given 
on pages 427 and 428. 



PART I. 



THE HORSE AND HIS DISEASES. 



:p.a_:r,t x. 
THE HORSE AND HIS DISEASES. 



INTRODUCTION. 



THE PREHISTORIC HORSE. 

^^POSSIL bones of the horse have been found in both hemispheres 
-Ml together with those of other animals which indicate an antiquity as 
great as any fossil quadruped. The relics found in Europe in the 
bone caves and drift deposits consist of innumerable skeletons as well 
as representations by drawing and carving on reindeer horn, bone and ivory, 
executed by their contemporary man countless ages before history began. 
Ecker says that the European horse of the fourth epoch probably gave birth 
to the small stunted breed with the large head, rounded forehead and short 
neck, which is found in fossil remains at Solutre and is still represented by 
the wild horses of the Rhone delta and the steppes of Russia; but he adds 
that this primitive breed was almost entirely supplanted by an Asiatic breed 
larger and more robust, and that our domestic horse is the result of a mixture 
of the two. The problem of the origin of the horsrf can no more be solved 
than that of man; unless we assume the unity of species, and that the Great 
Architect created each kind in a specific mould at the beginning, subject to 
the law of variation, limited by the power of reproduction each of its kind, 
that man, animals and plants had attained a degree of perfection in 
variety at some period or periods in the remote past, and that the process is 
now going on, slowly recovering from the great inundation which over- 
whelmed the earth during the glacial epoch. 

3 



4 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

THE HORSE IN HISTORY. 

Traces of the horse have been found in nearly all ages and all countries 
since the flood, the period at which history seems to have dawned. From 
time to time as the exigencies have demanded varieties of the horse have 
been produced suitable for the purposes required of them. In following the 
march of civilization from the very first, the finer breeds appear to have 
been maintained by the introduction of the Arab stock. Egypt, the most 
ancient of civilized monarchies that have left monuments to tell their history, 
as we gather from Rawlinson's "Ancient Egypt," introduced horses, prob- 
ably from Arabia, under the eighteenth dynasty, and they seem not to> 
have been known in the earlier times. They were regarded as too noble 
and perhaps too valuable for draught and agricultural purposes, like the ass 
and the ox, but were commonly either ridden or employed to draw curricles 
and chariots, chiefly by men of the upper classes. Great numbers were re- 
quired for the chariots and cavalry. A bi'isk trade was carried on with 
Syria and Palestine where they were in great request and commanded high 
prices. It appears that they were not allowed to graze in fields but were 
kept constantly in stalls and fed on straw and barley. They seem to have 
resembled the Arab stock, being light, agile and high-spirited, and were 
probably introduced into Egypt by the Hyksos. 

The same class of horses apparently figures on the monuments of the 
ruins of Nineveh, Babylon, Assyria, Persia, and other ancient oriental coun- 
tries, while later, toward the decline of the Persian Empire and the rise of 
die Grecian, and about the time that the horse was beginning to be cultivated 
in Europe, the cavalry and war horse was stouter, of heavier quarters and 
limbs, drooping more at the croup, and altogether of a stockier mould and 
darker color. Peering into the realms of fancy we can weave a picture 
which the insufficient light of history can not satisfactorily complete. We 
can perhaps see the relation and conclude that the parent Aryan stock of 
the Caucasian civilization was the original possessor of the fine breed of 
horses known to oriental countries as the Arab, the white albinoish color 
and the refinement and symmetry peculiar to both going far in evidence. 

The great epoch in the history of the horse is at the time of the 
rise of the Indo-Germanic nations. Spain before England was the 
nursery of the fine blooded horse. The northern counti-ies supplied the 
ponderous horse used for war. The cavalry of the time, requiring the heavy 
armor for both rider and horse, created the necessity of a heavy animal, and 
to this fact we are indebted for the introduction of the modern draught horse 
about the time of the Norman conquest. 

From that time the variety of purposes to which the horse has been. 



THE HORSE INTRODUCTION. U 

found useful has given rise to all the so-called breeds, such as the draught horse, 
thoroughbred race horse, hunters, cobs, hackneys, coach horses, saddle horses, 
trotters, pacers, buggy horses, ponies, and others, the fashion continually 
changing so that new breeds are coming forward and old ones falling out; 
but none of these necessarily become obsolete, as they can at any time, if 
fashion demands, easily be cultivated to a standard in a few generations. 

THE MODERN HORSE. 

Presuming that the perfect horse combines all the possible requisites 
after the original design, we may further state that individuals of the species 
are subject to variation, so that no one animal combines all qualities in 
perfection, and no two are exactly alike, the physiological causes of which 
will be discussed under their respective heads. The classification that 
appears most suitable comprises four groups, namely : The Primitive, the 
Refined, the Varied, and the Common or Domestic. 

The Primitive. — The primitive stock, now found as a type in the 
high latitudes, is most nearly identical with the prehistoric horse. Left to 

I their own resources, without domesticating influences, these are small, 

[ tough and hardy, of round build, large heads, short, heavy necks, sturdy 
limbs, dark and shaggy coats, familiar to all who are acquainted with the 
Shetland ponies, or better, with the old French and Scotch. 

The Refined. — This class is typified in the Arab horse of ancient and 

i modern times. The white, gray, and delicate lighter shades are an index 

I of their refinement and purity; their artistic mould, the superb design of 
their proportions, and the exquisite carving of their form being very sug- 

I gestive of antique statuary, there being a marked contrast to the more 

' sturdy northern horse. 

The Arab of ancient history is finely represented in bas-relief in the 

i ruins of Konyunjik, as we learn from Layard's " Nineveh and Babylon." 
A satisfactory description of the modern Arab also appears in the same 

! work, from which we gather that great attention is paid to pedigree, it 
being the first consideration. Arabs divide their thoroughbred horses into 
five races, descended, as some declai'e, from the five favorite mares of the 
Prophet. The greatest number now, as formerly, is lo be found in Meso- 
potamia and the great plains watered by the Tigris and Euphrates. The 
best are probably those of the Shamas and Aneyza tribes, 

The Arab horse is remarkable for its exquisite symmetry, united with 
wonderful powers of endurance, rather than for extraordinary speed. Their 
color is generally white, light or dark gray, light chestnut, or bay, with 
white or black feet. Black is exceedingly rare, and Mr. Layard never 



V.'.r 'I. 



VVNHm 







1 






THE HORSE — INTRODUCTION. t 

remembers to have seen dun, sorrel or dapple in the true-bred Arab, and 
when these colors occur the breed has been crossed. Their average height 
is fourteen to fourteen and a half hands, rarely fifteen, but they have great 
strength and courage for their size. Their most remarkable power is 
manifested in an ability to pei"form long and arduous marches upon the 
smallest possible allowance of food and water. In consequence of such 
labor they are lean, unsightly, and therefore disappointing to travelers who 
rarely see them at their best in the freedom of spring pastures, where they 
are sleek, and indeed beautiful. The Arab has but two paces, a quick and 
easy walk, averaging four or five miles an hour, and a half-running canter. 
They are fed on camel's milk, dates when they can be had, and sometimes 
flesh. They are rapid lv deteriorating. They are shod with a circular shoe 
which covers the bottom of the foot except a small hole, and which is 
fastened on with six nails. [Nineveh and Babylon.] 

The Varied. — This class is the product of the union of the two pre- 
viously mentioned, or may be produced as a freak without regard to breed- 
ing at all. The laws of breeding have a wide field of operation when 
these opposite forces combine. The modern varieties of the horse seem in 
I most all cases to trace their origin to this system of violent crossing. Even 
I the French draught horse, the mighty Percheron, is stoutly claimed to be 
1 a descendant of the Arab; but it is plain that its stocky shape and heavy 
■ head, neck and mane never came from that source; so that it is probable he 
j has the elements of both, and it is not beyond the range of probability that 
I these were the prime elements, resulting in the first instances as a freak 
I of nature, which cultivation and selection have at last succeeded in reduc- 
I ing to a standard breed. It has been claimed that the Clyde draught 
J horse originated from the Shetland pony; yet we see evidence of eastern 
[ blood in the white markings noticeable in this breed of horses. The 
I English race horse is another instance, although he leans very much more 
l to the Arab; still evidence of a northern character may be seen in his 
I stouter, more arched back, and general bulk of bone and muscle. We 
j could thus analyze others, but this brief statement will suffice. 

The Common or Domestic. — The last classification shows the gradual 
diffusion of all the elements until they constitute an animal furnishing all 
the requisites of the horse in general and none in particular, much as we 
oftenest see him in every-day life and in daily use, ready to gallop across 
the country under the saddle, to drive in the light buggy, useful for the plow, 
the team, or the cart, for every one in fact, and for every purpose. It 
would evidently be impracticable to give an analysis of this group. It is 
only in comparatively few instances that two individual animals have even 
the same blood. 



O THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

THE THOROUGHBRED HORSE. 

The blooded horse of the present age is best known as a type in the 
English race horse. The founding of the stud-book has led to the forma- 
tion of a race that in perpetuity of quality is not inferior to the Arab, and 
in other respects superior. In delicacy of organism the Arab is still 
the standard representative, although the English horse is sufficiently so to 
lift it above the varied class. The admixture of thoroughbred blood with 
the cold-blooded horses of the north will however produce the same phe- 
nomena as the Arab produces. 

Though the distinctive breeding of horses entitled to a place in the 
stud-book is Arabian, the best and most lasting results are traceable to but 
very few. In fact, three horses have given us the majority of all the recog- 
nized thoroughbreds at this time, and their lines have been handed down 
through celebrated individuals, while all others have been lost to view. 
The three horses of Arabian blood which thus figure so largely in found- 
ing the race were the Darley Arabian (imported from Aleppo), the Byerly- 
Turk, and the Godolpliin, supposed to be a Barb or Arab. The lines of 
breeding from these are respectively known as the Darley line, the Herod 
line (Herod being the main branch of the Byerly-Turk descent), and the 
Godolphin line. 

Numerous other Arabians, Barbs, Turks and Spanish horses lent their 
influence in strengthening the race, but in a comparatively subordinate 
degree, and their haraes are to be found in the more remote crosses of 
tabulated pedigrees, so that this triple division may stand. 

THE DARLEY LINE. 

The celebrated Flying Childers gave prominence to the Darley Arabian 
by virtue of performance, although another son of the Darley and a full 
brother to Flying Childers, called Bartlett's or Bleeding Childers, perpet- 
uates the fame of his sire in the male line to a greater extent. The Darley 
was a light bay, with three white feet and a snip. The principal value ot 
his line is its quality of producing game and lasting race horses, the more 
so if they take on the character, color and marks of their famous founder. 

This line is held to be the most valuable of the thoroughbreds. Flying 
Childers, by the Darley, was a bay, with four white feet and a snip, was 
fifteen hands high, and is accounted by some to have been the swiftest 
and best race horse ever known. He is best represented in the male line 
through his sons Blaze and Snip. But the grand current of succession is 
through Darley, Bartlett's Childers, Squirt, Marske, and Eclipse, in the order 
named. Childers' dam was Betty Leeds; Squirt's dam a Snake mare (a 




P^P^^ii 



LADY THORN. 



Copvrijhled, 15S4, by 
The American Book Co. 



10 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

half-bred Arabian); Marske's dam, by Blacklegs, by a bay Turk, second 
dam by Bay Bolton, third dam by Foxcnb, his dam by Leeds' Arabian; 
Eclipse's dam, Spitella, was by Regulus, by Godolphin, second dam of 
mixed blood through the Bald Galloway. Squirt was a chestnut, Marske 
a brown, and Eclipse a chestnut. 

Eclipse, the principal perpetuator of the Bartlett branch of the Darley 
line, was as phenomenal in form as he was as a racer. He was sixteen 
hands high, and much higher over the croup. The hind cannons were very 
long, and the fore cannons very short, and for this peculiarity he was con- 
demned as deformed and unfit for racing purposes and sold, but afterward 
his extraordinary success in vanquishing every competitor with ease, in 
fact distancing a field of the best racers of the day, led to the adoption of 
the Eclipse pattern for race horses. He also had very oblique shoulders, 
high whirl-bones, massive thighs and a deep chest. He was the sire of 
three Derby winners, Young Eclipse (1S17), Saltram (17S3), and Sargeant 
(1784), and one Oaks winner, Annette (1787). His blood in the male line 
is through his sons Pot 8 os, King Fergus, Jo Andrews and Mercury. 

Pot S os' dam was by Sportsman, by Cade, by Godolphin, with back- 
cross of Darlev. He had three Derby winners and one Oaks; he also had 
one St. Leger winner, Waxey, whose dam Maria was by Herod, the main 
artery of the Bverly-Turk line, with remote strain of Darley through Blaze, 
by Flying Childers. With this combination of blood Waxey is termed 
the "ace of trumps" of the stud-book. He was sire of Pope, Whalebone, 
Blucher and Whisker, all Derby winners. Whalebone, the best, had two 
Derbv winners and one Oaks, all bays. The branches of his family were 
through his sons Camel, Defense and Sir Hercules. Camel was sire of 
Touchstone and Sir Lancelot, St. Leger winners. Touchstone united 
through his dam fresh strains of the blood of Eclipse, and was sire of Derby 
and St. Leger winners. His son Surplus won both for the first time in 
forty-eight years. Orlando, a bay with white nose and hind legs, by 
Touchstone, was the most distinguished as a producer, and his best son 
was Tiddington, a horse which measured but sixty-three inches in girth. 
Newminster, by Orlando, was more successful in the stud. Adventurer, by 
Newminster, begot Pretender, winner of the Derby in 1S69. Hermit, the 
greatest of English sires, is a son of Newminster. Sir Hercules was the 
sire of Birdcatcher, sire of the Baron, sire of Stockwell, one of the most 
fashionable of English sires. 

King Fergus, the second of the four great sons of Eclipse, founded two 
branches of his line through his sons Hambletonian and Benningbrough. 
From the former came the Blacklocks, and from the latter Emilius, Priam, 
Plenipotentiary and Muley Moloch, the sire of Alice Hawthorne, dam of 



& 

&*->&' 




11 



12 the; vktkrinary doctor. 

Thormanby, a Derby winner (i860) and one of the best of modern sires. 
Benningbrough, a bay, was sire of Orville, also a bay, sire of Octavius, 
Emilius, Margrave, and Muley, sire of Little Wonder and Muley Moloch. 
Emilius, by Orville, begot Priam (imported to the United States), a chest- 
nut, and Plenipotentiary, a chestnut, both colts and Derby winners, though 
neither was very prominent in the stud. Hambletonian, son of King Fer- 
gus, begot Blacklock from an inbred Pot 8 os mare. Blacklock begot Het- 
man Platoff, Derby winner of 1847, an< ^ Voltaire, sire of Charles XII., and 
Voltigeui*, Derby and St. Leger winners of 1850. 

Mercury, a chestnut horse, son of Eclipse, dam by Tartar, begot Go- 
hanna, a bay horse, sire of Catton, sire of Derby winner of 1835, and our 
own imported Trustee, sire of Fashion and the twenty-mile trotter Trustee. 

The last of the Ecliptic quartette, Jo Andrews, a bay horse by 
Eclipse, perpetuates his line in the male descent through his son Dick An- 
drews, a bay horse, sire of Tramp, also a bay, sire of Lottery, a bay horse, 
sire of Sheet Anchor, sire of Wetherbit, a bay horse, sire of Beadsman, Derby 
winner of 1858. Beadsman was sire of Blue Gown, Derby winner of 
1868, who died at sea on his way to the United States in 1880, and Pero 
Gomez, St. Leger winner and second for Derby of 1869. 

THE GODOLPHIN LINE. 

The so-called Godolphin-Arabian, a brown horse whose history is a 
myth and breeding unknown, but whose qualities are none the less remark- 
able, was the second of the three prime founders. Tne descent of this horse 
in the male line is through Cade, a bay horse, by Godolphin, out of Rox- 
anna, by the Bald Galloway ; Matchem, a bay horse by Cade from a Partner 
mare; Conductor, a bay horse by Matchem from a Snap mare; Snap, by Snip, 
by Flying Childers; Trumpator, by Conductor, was from a mare of a variety 
of strains. From Trumpator descended Paynator and Sorcerer, a black 
horse,sire of Soothsayer, a chestnut horse (St. Leger 1811). Tiresias, abrown 
horse by Soothsayer, won the Derby of 18 19, and Smolensko (Derby 1S13) 
was sire of Gulnare (Oaks 1S27) and Jerry, a black horse (St. Leger 
1824). Jerry was sire of Tomboy (sire of Nutwith, St. Leger 1843) and 
Jericho; Nutwith was the sire of Knight of Kars. Comus, a chestnut horse 
by Sorcerer, begot Reveller, a bay horse (St. Leger 1819), and Humphrey 
Clinker, a bay horse, sire of Rockingham (St. Leger 1833), and Melbourne, 
the great sire of winners. Melbourne was sire of Sir Tatton Svkes (St. 
Leger 1846); his dam Cymbria was an Oaks winner. Rockingham was 
sire of the dam of the great Sir Archy, the founder, in a great degree, of the 
American race horse. Melbourne was also sire of West Australian, sire of 



THE HORSE INTRODUCTION. 13- 

Australian, the great Kentucky sire of Woodburn farm until his death. 
West Australian won the triple event of Derby, St. Leger and Guineas in. 
1S53, the first time it was ever accomplished. Marchioness, by Melbourne, 
won the Oaks of 1S55 and Blink Bonny, by Melbourne, Derby and Oaks of 
1S57. West Australian's dam was by Touchstone, and was full sister to 
Cotherstone (Derby 1S43). 

THE BYERLY-TURK LINE. 

The Herod line, from the Byerly-Turk, the third of the great primary 
:rio, descended through Jigg, by Byerly-Turk; Tartar, by Jigg; and King 
Herod (or Herod), by Tartar. Herod's dam was by Flying Childers. His 
ine is further perpetuated by his sons Woodpecker, a chestnut horse, and 
Highflyer. The Woodpecker line is famed for its great speed, and the 
Highflyer line for its great staying quality. Buzzard, by Woodpecker, 
Droduced from one mare three celebrated horses, namely, Castrel, Selim and 
Rubens. Castrel begot Pantaloon and he begot Ghuzner, an Oaks win- 
der, Satinet, a St. Leger and Ascot winner, Libel, Sleight-of-Hand and 
Windhound, sire of Thormanby. Sultan, son of Selim, brother to Castrel,. 
mother and important branch of the Woodpecker line, was sire of Glencoe, 
vvhose dam was Trampoline, by Tramp, out of Web by Waxey. Glencoe, 
1 chestnut horse, was sire of the famous brood-mare Pocahontas, dam of 
,:he great modern English sire Stockwell. Glencoe was also sire of a great 
number of mares in America whose success on the turf and in the stud is 
Jnparalleled. Rubens, the third of the trio of own brothers by Buzzard, is 
more distinguished for his daughters. Highflyer, by Herod, was a bay. His 
^ons Noble, Sir Peter and Sky Scraper were Derby winners and his 
•laughter Violante was an Oaks winner, and he had three St. Leger winners. 
pir Peter begot Gladiator who begot Walton, sire of the dam of the French 
norse Gladiateur, which was the first foreign-bred horse to win the English 
[Derby. Gladiator was sire of Queen Mary, the famous brood-mare, dam 
Df Blink Bonny, Bonnie Scotland (sire of Luke Blackburn and Bramble,. 
:he Tennessee cracks, and a host of other good ones), and also of Bal- 
rownie. Blink Bonny won the Derbj' and Oaks of 1857 and was the dam 
}f Blair Athol, a Derby winner and great sire of winners.. The dam of 
Caller-On, a Derby winner, was also by Gladiator. 

The foregoing will enable the reader to trace the breeding of most of 
3ur best strains, determining their line of descent and learning to which of the 
£reat channels they properly belong. As the most prominent only have 
been chosen to perpetuate the qualities of the race horse, the others are re- 
jected and become obsolete, so that it will be found comparatively easy to 
trace most racehorses and sires to some of the collateral branches. 



14 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

THE AMERICAN RACE HORSE. 

The English thoroughbred began to be imported into America from 
the first. Direct descendants of the leading primary strains were imported 
into the United States, but our blood is based principally upon that of im- 
ported Diomed and his descendants, collaterally replenished by the blood of 
succeeding importations. Diomed, by Florizel, son of Herod (founder of his 
line), was the first winner of the English Derby and the father of American 
race horses. He was a chestnut without white, except a small touch on one 
heel, fifteen and three-fourths hands high, rather dished face, straight hocks 
and springy pasterns; he was started in England fourteen times and won 
eight, and won the Derby in 1780. He won £8,268 in all and was good at 
all distances. In England he produced many great race horses, including 
Young Giantess, and was imported into Virginia in 179S i n bis twenty- 
second year, whei*e he was more popular than any other horse had been 
until Sir Archy eclipsed him. Of his get, Sir Archy, Ball's Florizel and 
Duroc (sire of American Eclipse) were the greatest. He died in 1808; 
The current of succession was mostly through Sir Archy, although 
Duroc got American Eclipse, whose blood in a pedigree is by some consid- 
ered the touchstone of success. 

Sir Archy by Diomed, foaled in 1S05, stood highest of all horses bred 
in this country, and yielded his owner $70,000. His dam Casti- 
aniri was by Rockingham. Sir Archy was a rich bay, right hind 
pastern white, sixteen hands high, with deep oblique shoulders, full 
girth and short back. He produced winners from mares with all sorts 
of pedigrees, and some from mares with no pedigree at all. He was suc- 
ceeded by his son Timoleon, whose dam was by Saltram (imported), son of 
Eclipse, out of Virago, by Snap, by Flying Childers. Timoleon was foaled 
in 1 81 3. He started fifteen times, won nine, lost two, walked over four, and 
was a great horse in his day. His highest achievement was in producing 
the great race horse Boston, who in turn was the sire of the still greater 
Lexington, without a peer as a native sire. Boston was a chestnut, with a 
stripe and white hind legs, and familiarly known as "Old White Nose." He 
had a plain head, with dish-face, short neck, inclined shoulder-blades, a pro- 
digious chest, great length, immensely powerful loins, hocks and thighs, 
short limbs, straight but very springy pasterns, and altogether great sub- 
stance, almost coarse with his prominent ragged hips, rather flat ribs, but 
well-ribbed loins. He died in 1849 in his seventeenth year. His dam was 
by Ball's Florizel. 

Lexington, by Boston, inherited his greatness in the male line, although 
me granddam of Iroquois is by Boston, thus skipping over the Lexington 




15 



16 the; veterinary doctor. 

cross. As a producer of race hoi-ses Lexington stands' at the head of Amer- 
ican sires. His daughters are now proving themselves as good in the stud as 
his sons were on the turf. None of his sons inherit his prepotency to as 
marked a degree, although some of them arc quite reputable as sires. It 
was through imported Glencoe mares that Lexington met with most suc- 
cess. Imported Leamington succeeded Lexington in popularity, and through 
his sons has become so generally the leading strain in the popular estimation 
in this country that every considerable breeding establishment of race horses 
has a stallion of the strain, or is seeking for one. Bonnie Scotland was very 
popular latterly, and is the foundation of General Harding's choicest breed- 
ing. The present blood of America is constantly being freshened by Eng- 
lish importations which for some physiological reason harmonize with our 
strains to a degree that makes the crosses better than either branch; so it 
seems at least by the way our horses have succeeded in England. 

THE HEAVY DRAUGHT HORSE. 

In speculating on the origin of the heavy breeds of horses it will be re- 
membered that we proposed to discuss the physiological causes of the varia- 
tions of breeds by the union of two such opposite elements as the oriental 
horse and primitive horse of Europe. 

According to the theory that like begets like or the likeness of some 
ancestor, which is the fundamental law of breeding or heredity, it will be 
understood that a slight or marked reversion to some ancestor more or 
less remote, from physical causes which it is impossible to determine, will 
make the produce of these opposite elements, even from the same sire and 
dam, so widely different that one of the offspring may take the character 
wholly of one of the parents, or intensify some quality of an ancestor, or per- 
haps partake of the characteristics of both parents. In fact, the variation may 
be unlimited. If a breed is to be established, something more definite than 
this is required, and we must select an animal that not only has the physical 
traits which we wish to perpetuate but which also has the additional power 
of reproducing himself. That individual instances of this kind have existed 
and do exist admits of no successful dispute. To secure perpetuation, animals 
must be sought for mating which will cross kindly with them, so that their 
character will assimilate without altering those characteristics, except per- 
haps when it is desired to correct some defect. By this process a satisfac- 
tory result will in time be secured, and such animals will with reasonable 
certainty produce their like. Hence, in taking the cases of two animals, the 
one carefully bred, and the other equal as to other particulars but not so 
well bred, a wide difference will be seen in their offspring. One will re- 



THE HORSE INTRODUCTION. 17 

produce itself and the other will very likely beget something- as different as 
one could well imagine. 

Now the Arab horse has a comparatively short thigh-bone, with a long 
hip; the European horse has a long thigh and a short hip; the cannons of 
the Arab are long, while those of the European are short — and a like dif- 
ference is seen in other parts of the skeleton. By breeding a stocky native 
stallion to a fine Arab mare one might get almost anything. The produce 
may take on the long bones of both parents, or the spongy tissue of the one 
and the length and looseness of the other. The extreme vital and nervous 
temperaments may be neutralized in the offspring and the bilious and 
lymphatic temperament predominate, the produce then becoming coarse, 
and gross, and thereby characterized by a tendency to excessive growth. 

This is one of the physiological influences mentioned as productive of 
variations. We may be pardoned for believing, sincerely enough to advance 
the conviction, that such was the foundation of the heavy horses now found 
all over Europe and the United States, which were first known in Flanders, 
and are still called by the general term "Dutch horses." By taking such 
individual horses as were of more than normal size and breeding them by 
judicious crosses with a view to preserving those specimens which are most 
Jrapable of reproducing those qualities of size and power, we now have a 
variety of horses which is quite common. They were first extensively 
.•cnown in Flanders, were introduced into England in the time of William 
the Conqueror, and all the famous British breeds are by some attributed to 
fhose importations. The breeds now known to be thus descended are 
lesignated as Suffolk Punch, a sorrel breed, Lincolnshire Blacks, Cleveland 
Bays, English Cart-horses and the Clydesdales of Scotland, but all are of 
(he same stock as the Norman of France, the Belgian and Hanoverian 
breeds, and also the Danish draught horse from which the Conestoga horse 
bf the United States is sprung. These horses have been imported into 
America so largely of late that their form and character have become gen- 
erally known. Bulk of bone and hair are cultivated, as well as breadth and 
compactness of frame. The largest specimens weigh over a ton. 

The famous Norman draught horse of France and the heavy breeds of 
jhe Netherlands are from the same Flemish stock. These monstrous horses 
pave been imported into the United States so largely of late years that their 
Characteristics are familiar to nearly every one. The most popular importa- 
tions are the Normans, Clydes, English draught and Cleveland Ba\'s. The 
Normans tend to gray in color and some of the darkest grays are very beau- 

S'ul. The predominance of their iron-gray color is a strong point with the 
ormans. The Clydes are usually bay, sometimes marked with white legs and 
faces. Their bulk of bone is immense, and they are distinguished for the 



THE HORSE INTRODUCTION. 19 

shaggy appearance of their legs, the fringe of longhair beginning just under 
the hocks and knees and reaching to the ground, all round the hoof in some 
specimens. The heavy draught horses of England are very bulky, but the 
Clevelands are more rangy and stylish. All the large breeds have heavy 
and wavy manes and tails, thick neck, large head and great round feet. 

THE AMERICAN TROTTING HORSE. 

American progressiveness, the wonder and admiration of the Old World, 
is manifested in many ways, not the least important of which is the rise 
and development of the trotting horse. Trotting began in a humble way, 
and yet one of utility. The ponies of the bakers or butchers were hitched 
to their carts and urged by honest endeavor to reach their patrons in advance 
of similar outfits of equally enterprising rival shopmen. 

Professor Brewer, of Yale College, has brought to light the fact that a 
horse called Yankey trotted a mile in 2:59, believed to have never before 
been excelled in this country, that time having been made in June, 1806, an 
account of the same appearing in the New York Spectator. This was the 
dawn of trotting for a time-record. Professor Brewer also shows why trot- 
ting became popular as a sport. He says: "Under the hostile laws against 
races other means were taken to gratify the instinctive pleasure of seeing 

\ horses get over the ground swiftly. A race, as then understood, was a con- 
test between two or more horses, to see which could run the fastest, as it 
still is in most countries. Men did not dream of a race being run by one 

I of anything. Morever, in those times horse-racing- meant horses running / 

; so when horse-racing was a crime, punishable by fine and imprisonment, 
the good law-abiding citizen who owned a good trotter, and who instinc- 
tively yearned for the pleasure of seeing a spirited horse in action, would 
not run him, nor race him; he merely trained him and had occasional trials 

I of speed in which he could hold his watch and see how long it took his 
horse to ti*ot a given distance, and the timing of trots became common 
long before the system of records was established." 

It was not until the year 1843 that the present standard of speed, 2:30, 
was beaten, when Lady Suffolk trotted in 2 :2S. This mare afterward 
trotted under saddle in 2:26^ and was hailed the queen of the trotting 
turf. Before this time long distance was more the test, the heats being 
two, three and four miles, the culmination being reached with the great 
performance of Dutchman, ridden by Hiram Woodruff, three miles against 
time in 7:321^, and this was not beaten until Huntress, by Volunteer, did it 
in harness in 1872 in the remarkable time of 7:21^. Dutchman and 
Lady Suffolk had many contests, but Dutchman was too much for the Lady 



20 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

at these long distances. After she trotted her fast mile, mile heats came 
into vogue, generally best three in five. Lady Suffolk was a gray, by Engi- 
neer 2d, he by Engineer, by Messenger. 

A greater star soon appeared in Flora Temple when she trotted at 
Kalamazoo, in 1859, against Princess and Honest Anse, making 2:19^, the 
first to trot a mile better than 2:20. She there appeared in her exhibition 
exercise with her driver, James D. McMann. Thousands of people were on 
the track, and when the business-like little creature, with her great eyes spark- 
ling in anticipation, made her appearance, submissively followed by the 
celebrated Ethan Allen, great was the demonstration of delight, and when 
the accommodating McMann consented to "give her a brush or two," loud 
and continued applause arose, at which Flora wheeled short around, tossed 
her head, kicked up her heels, and before McMann could gather the lines, 
dashed off at full speed, and soon reappeared with her fine electric stroke, 
her head eagerly extended, and her long mane flying in tangled confusion 
about her neck. Old Ethan was given a few spurts, and the beauty of his 
action could be seen, but he did not attempt to rival the flights of the little 
bay mare. Flora Temple became celebrated by her biography, charmingly 
written by Mr. George Wilkes, in his Wilkes'' Spirit of the Times, which 
first made its appearance at about this time. She was perpetuated in art, 
and the fine picture of her by Maurer, published by Currier & Ives, of New 
York, is considered, by horsemen at least, as a prime work of art. As we 
remember Flora, she was a bay about fourteen and a quarter hands high, with 
black points, roan on the off side, a blotch of white near the crupper, and a 
fashionably docked tail. She had a pacing conformation, stout legs 
and feet, a fine head and neck, and high withers; but her chief character- 
istics were her very large, full, hazel eyes, and her decidedly business-like 
expression and action. 

Flora Temple's harness-record remained the best until August 14, 
1867, when Dexter at Buffalo trotted in 2:171^, having previously trotted 
under saddle in 2:iS^. Dexter is a brown gelding, fifteen and a quarter 
hands high, with four white legs and white face, by Rysdyk's Hambletonian, 
out of Clara by American Star, she out of the McKinstry mare, the dam 
of Shark, a fast trotter by Hambletonian. The Star blood was most appar- 
ent in Dexter, for, although very blood-like, he has a pacing-pony mould, 
lower at the croup than at the withers, fine shoulders, deep chest, strong 
lo'.ns but light waist, round, drooping quarters of great volume and compact- 
ness, back slightly roached, and strong legs. He trots with unsurpassed 
resolution and energy. Forward he makes some apparent waste of effort, 
but the way he gathers his hind legs, without that extreme tension seen in 
what is called big-gaited horses, gives an idea of nervous locomotion that 



~ / N 




21 



22 the veterinary doctor. 

is superb. The writer first saw him to wagon. He rises forward and his 
manner of moving gives the appearance of uprightness like a man walk- 
ing. He was led from his stable onto the course by two attendants, whom 
he fairly dragged along with his quick walk, such was his nervous ambi- 
tion. He was a hard puller and bore heavily on the check. He also had 
that side-to-side motion forward so noticeable in the Star blood. He never 
had the chance to show his best on the turf, for Mr. Robert Bonner pur- 
chasea him (for $35,000), and it is well known that he never trots his 
horses for money. We believe, however, that he trotted in 2:14 under 
saddle for Mr. Bonner. His most formidable competitors were Lady Thorn, 
George Wilkes, and Ethan Allen and running mate, these latter defeating 
him by making a record of 2:15. 

Lady Thorn was a large bay, sixteen and a fourth hands high, by 
Mambrino Chief, out of a mare by Gano, son of American Eclipse; back 
of that, pacing and thoroughbred. A first impression of Lady Thorn was 
that of a blood-like animal of great length and angularity. With pro- 
pelling powers of the grandest character, she looked as though she couid 
" step over a house." Like Dexter, she was high-strung, but not so sensi- 
tive; she had a nervous habit of digging the air with a fore foot while in 
the stable; her length of limb was very great, but she had a low, 
easy stroke, settling close to the earth, trotting with great resolution. A 
smaller horse would look large alongside. She could do the home-stretch 
with an effect truly marvelous. iVlthough her record is but 2:iS%',sheis 
said to have trotted in 2:10 in a trial. She was cut short in her career by 
a deplorable accident while being shipped from Rochester to Buffalo 
where she was to trot against Dexter's time. She fell from the platform 
while entering the car, and permanently injured her hip — and Lady 
Thorn's day was over. Although this great mare had the refined 
quality of a thoroughbred, she was somewhat unsightly. The right eye 
was gone, and this made her push her nose far out, and to one side, while 
one of her ears was pointed forward and the other backward. Beside 
this, she had a sinking of the neck forward of the withers. She was 
more beautiful to go than to look at, although at any time she was an 
impressive mare. 

George Wilkes, a brown horse, one hind pastern white, fifteen hands 
high, by Hambletonian, was the fastest stallion of his day, and considering 
his ability for speed of the fastest quality, and capability of producing speed 
in his descendants, he ranks as the best son of Hambletonian. Many mar- 
velous stories are related of the wonderful flights of speed to which this 
horse attained. When the writer saw him trot it was with Lady Thorn, 
American Girl, George Palmer and Lucy. In that race Wilkes would 



THE HORSE — INTRODUCTION. 23 

reach the three-quarter pole far in advance of the others, Lady Thorn being 
last. Thence home his speed would wane distressingly, but he would rally 
to a good position at the outcome, still in marked contrast to the terrific 
home-rush of Lady Thorn, the winner. He was not so in the early part 
of his career, it is said. His remarkable action has often been alluded to. 
While he trotted low and easy forward, he seemed to drag his hind legs, with- 
out drawing them under as in the case of his half-brother Dexter. He car- 
ried rather a low head. He was high at the croup and preserved some- 
what the Hambletonian model, as distinguished from the pacing angularity. 
The grand trotter Wilson (2:16) bids fair to make one of the first of 
the age. He is the best of the get of George Wilkes. 

George Wilkes' record, 2:22, has been surpassed by only one entire 
I son of Hambletonian, Jay Gould, whose dam was by American Star, and 
he need be mentioned only as having the purest and best balanced of trot- 
ting strokes, the poetry of motion. 

Dexter's 2:17^ remained the fastest record until 1S71, when Gold- 
smith Maid lowered it one-fourth of a second at Milwaukee in a race with 
i Lucy. She steadily decreased this until she trotted a heat in 2:14, which 
[ she was unable to excel. She was a bay, fifteen and a fourth hands high, 
I of a wiry build and blood-like appearance, and wide, rakish hips that show 
, the pacing incline. She had a slinging, loose way of moving, and when 
j she became the nonpareil, she would intersperse her trotting with a few 
{judicious breaks so cleverly taught as to almost escape detection. For 
severe service on the turf she has never been approached. She trotted one 
j "hundred and twenty-one races and won $364,200. Prominent among her 
competitors were Lucy, Lady Thorn, from whom she could not wrest a heat, 
American Girl, Smuggler, Gloster and Rarus. Lucy was a large bay mare by 
/George M. Patchen, with a big lunging stride, fastest heat 2:18^. Lady 
1 Thorn has been described heretofore. American Girl, a bay mare without 
I white, sixteen hands high or nearly (by Amos' CM. Clay, Jr.,) was a large- 
| boned, powerful animal that scored 2:161^. Smuggler succeeded in getting 
one or two heats from the Maid, and scored 2:151^, still the fastest stallion 
j record. Smuggler is pacing-bred and a pacer himself naturally. His grand 
sire Cadmus was the sire of Pocahontas the pacer, 2:171^ to wagon, the 
fastest on record. Gloster was a bay gelding, seventeen hands high, of the 
rarest promise, though it was cut short by death. Gloster was by Volun- 
teer. He was a grand trotting horse, of fine texture, with the pacing hip, and 
legs of the finest character. While he was moving one could detect a 
slight nod. He jogged peculiarly slowly, but this need not have signified 
any lameness at all, as it is not uncommon among trotters. 

• Rarus succeeded in wresting her proud title from Goldsmith Maid, and 



24 



HE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 



placed it to his own credit in 2:131^. He was a rangy bay gelding, hind 
ankles white, a star and a snip, sixteen hands high, and a very fine, elastic 
mover, with his long neck well up, and a graceful precision of stroke 
rarely seen. He is the Oaau ideal of a gentleman's trotter. Robert Bon- 
ner has him now, so that his turf career was necessarily short. 

Scarcely had Rarus disappeared from the public when St. Julien 
made a record of 2:12, which he afterward improved to 2:ii%\ He is a 




BASHAW (Green's). 



bay gelding, white hind ankles and a small star, about fifteen and three- 
fourths hands high, of a rakish pattern and a pair of inclined, branching 
hips and angular leverage, unmistakably pacing-like, but never known to 
strike a pace. Although distinguished for intelligence, his head, according 
to the popular notion, does not suggest such intelligence, it being large and 
marked by a receding skull and Roman nose. In movement he is so power- 
ful and easy as to give the impression that some outside force is propelling 






THE HORSE INTRODUCTION. 25 

him, there being- neither much knee-action nor width of propulsion behind. 
When entering the track, it is amusing to see him scan the grand stand,, 
as if estimating the attendance. He is by Volunteer, dam by Harry Clay. 
Unfortunately for St. Julien's prospects, he too soon had a stubborn 
and successful rival in the renowned Maud S, who now has the title of 
queen of the trotting turf. Yet she has it by a slender thread, for her 
kinsman, the black five-year-old Jay Eye See, is shadowing her so closely 
that her wonderful performance pales by comparison, noting the time at 
which she achieved it. Maud S, a chestnut, no white, fifteen and three- 
fourths hands high, is a light-boned, very muscular mare with fine limbs. 
Her action is rather high forward, owing to the use of toe-weights no 
doubt, and she has a peculiar gliding but far-reaching stroke, a folding and 
backward reach of the hind leg, together with a wide-open and lateral out- 
reach that is peculiarly her own, with a spiralescent flexion and extension of 
the limbs. We learned from Mr. Bair, her driver, that she was not a nat- 
ural trotter at first, nor yet was she a true pacer; she had a mixed gait which 
was overcome by the use of toe- weights. " She was high-strung," he said,, 
" but susceptible to good treatment and willing to do right, but resented 
compulsory methods and severe treatment." She was by Harold, dam 
by Pilot, Jr., second dam thoroughbred — think she inclines to the Pilot-type* 
Jay Eye See is a black gelding, hind ankles white, fifteen hands high,, 
by Dictator, out of Midnight by Pilot, Jr., second dam Twilight, by Lex- 
ington. The breeding of Maud S and Jay Eye See, being so nearly iden- 
tical, affords material for study; for, leaving out the Hambletonian influence 
which does not appear decided in either of them, Jay Eye See shows 
a Star energy that affixes him somewhat to that strain, with some of 
the Pilot characteristics; otherwise there are peculiarities in common be- 
tween these great horses. The gelding is a more natural trotter than the 
mare, and this would seem to favor the Star blood, a most potent element 
in a trotting pedigree. His dam produced Noontide by Harold, a great 
mare, but not so great by nearly ten seconds as Jay Eye See ; this again speaks 
for the Star cross. On complimenting Bither, his driver, for having made 
such a trotter, he disclaimed all credit for making him, and said: "He 
was a natural trotter from the start and made himself. All the credit due 
me is for not spoiling him." He has not that fine spiral flexion and ex- 
tension of the hind leg that Maud S has, and there is where perhaps she 
would prove the superior if she were not handicapped with toe-weights* 
The Pilots, then, have the finest propelling action, and the Stars the clever 
faculty of getting the fore feet out of the way of the hind ones naturally* 
without mechanical aids, and the writer considers the propelling actioa 
of Maud S without a parallel among all known trotters. 



26 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 



ULTIMATE TROTTING SPEED. 



To what rate 'of speed will the trotter finally attain? Many theories 
have been advanced upon this question. One mathematical professor has 
calculated from a law of progression that, taking the period from the time 
that the trotter became distinctly recognized to the present as the base, and 
the average reduction in speed from that time to the present as the ratio, the 
extreme limit wMl be about 1:31 to the mile. Absurd as this may seem, 
Mr. Wallace thinks that when horses are bred so that they become as 
natural at the trot as they now are at the run, so that they may be urged 
without fear of breaking, and not be hampered by the restraint of the 
bit or clogged with toe-weights, it may be possible for them to rival the 
runner in both speed and endurance. The Spirit of the Times says that, 
taking the extreme rate of speed for short distances as a base, with the 
natural improvements that time will bring to forward the continuance of 
that rate, considering also the fact that trotters and pacers have been known 
to go a quarter or even half a mile at a better rate than a mile in two 
minutes, a mile in two minutes or better will be made. The trotting horse 
Frank and his running mate J. O. Nay have a record that way of going 
of2:oS^. John Murphy, their driver, in order to satify himself as to the 
influence the runner actually had in assisting the trotter, harnessed him to 
a sulky, and with full trotting weights up drove him a mile as fast as he 
could run, and he could just make it it 2:011/3; the first quarter, 31^ sec- 
onds; half, 1 :oi ^ ; three-quarters, 1:313^. From this it would seem, the 
conditions being equal, that the trotter is now the equal of the thoroughbred 
runner, though it is claimed that a horse has run a mile to a sulky in 1 152, 
or thereabouts. Those who have seen the pacer Mattie Hunter get away 
from the score will agree that it would take a good runner to head her. 

THE ORIGIN OF THE TROTTER. 

What is the origin of the trotter, and how can he best be cultivated? 
Three distinct methods of producing the trotter are just now under 
discussion among the breeding joublic. The first is that of breeding a 
trotter with the trotting faculty to others with the same faculty, expecting 
that by this means a trotting breed of horses will in time become as stand- 
ard as the breed of running horses is now. The second is by the intro- 
duction of thoroughbred blood into our present trotting strains, and thus 
giving them more refinement and speed, as these qualities are transcendent 
in the thoroughbred and Arab, care being necessary not to use so much as 
to destroy the trotting action or steadiness, qualities which the thorough- 




27 



28 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

bred and Arab do not possess at the trot. The third theory is that all 
trotting is derived from modifying the pacing gait or faculty, shown by 
some examples only among horses. 

The first theory is the one most desirable to arrive at, but in considering 
its probabilities we see that time will be required to form a breed of 
trotters by selection of the best examples possessing the qualities of speed, 
steadiness and game-endurance, as well as the power of reliably reproduc- 
ing these characteristics in their progeny. The running horse shows but 
little improvement upon those examples which originated the breed, as 
Eclipse and Flying Childcrs. Except for the improvement of methods, it 
is doubtful whether out of die great numbers of race horses any could 
be found to have the natural qualities of speed and endurance much, if any, 
superior to those two horses. Running is a natural gait, and, so far as 
history shows, may always have existed as such. Is not it possible to make 
trotting just as natural a gait by carefully eliminating the running tendency? 
How long this may take, and whether the same object might not be accom- 
plished differently, time will determine. 

The second theory, the engrafting process by the union of examples 
already found to possess the trotting faculty with the more quickening im- 
pulse of the thoroughbred, is not reliable. Observation has led us to con- 
clude that neither speed nor endurance of any kind is possible without the 
aid of Arab blood or its equivalent. The difficulty with this method is its 
uncertainty and consequent want of value to the average breeder, although 
individual examples of the highest class may now and then crop out. 

In drawing special attention to the third theory of producing the trot- 
ting quality, the writer will try to first show how the pacers originated, 
according to his idea. That they are a distinct species is impossible, because 
they are fertile with other horses, and therefore belong to the same species. 
If they were a breed caused by circumstances, the outgrowth of a demand 
for that gait by some people in the remote past, and if those pacers now 
found reverted to some such ancestor, we should be able to trace them ; but 
when we attempt to do so, we find that they trace back to two distinct 
breeds in every case where their breeding is known, and we are confronted 
on the one hand by the Arab horse, and on the other by the native Euro- 
pean horse, neither of which furnishes as many pacing examples as when 
the two ai*e combined. This brings us to the idea previously alluded to,, 
namely, that all of our strains have arisen from the union of animals which 
present antagonistic characteristics, mental or physical, or both. Of such 
unions one result was the marked tendency to excessive gi'owth, as found 
in the draught horse. By crossing two opposite temperaments both 
were neutralized and a third temperament was produced. The idea is now 



THE HORSE INTRODUCTION. 29 

advanced that the pacing gait and habit result from an intermixture of tem- 
peraments, not producing growth, as was the case with the draught horse, 
but the predominance of the physical structure of the one and the mental 
quality of the other, though by what physiological process or law this takes 
place is only guess-work. 

To illustrate our meaning we will take as an example the stout 
and rugged northern horse, of which the French Canadian is a familiar ex- 
ample, disinclined to a gallop or any gait less leisurely than a walk, slow 
and difficult to arouse, activity at any gait an impossibility. On the other 
hand, we know that the Arab or thoroughbred has a nervous energy and a 
constant desire to go, but at a gallop; he can not restrain himself to trot, 
having no more trotting action than a cow, and he knows it and can never 

i be taught to trot, but his swiftness at a gallop exceeds that of any other 
quadruped in existence. Now in the amalgamation of these extremes there 
may be produced, if not in the first cross, in some succeeding and more har- 
monizing remove, an animal that has the physical structure, angular frame 
.and consequent angular action of his coarser ancestor, with the muscular re- 

1 fmement and nervous temperament of the finer one. He desires to go fast; 

I running Would for him require great waste of muscular energy and be an 
arduous task at which he would soon tire; he could not effect the graceful 
canter and gallop; he could adopt a compromise of a walk, a square trot and 
it i un, and such as would be easiest for him would be likely to be the 
pace, especially in his first steps when a colt at his mother's side; and thus an 
original mental faculty woukl be developed. 

Without such a faculty in some ancestor the writer believes it 
is not possible to teach a horse to trot fast, for while the ability to trot 
is possessed by most horses, fast trotting can only be derived from a modifi- 
cation of the pacing faculty, and this we believe to be the origin of the "trot- 
ting instinct," so called. This pacing habit once formed, like any other 
oddity, may be so fixed as to he perpetuated several generations without 
the necessity of doubling its strength, and even with doubling and redoub- 
ling may be difficult to preserve. 

A careful observation of Goldsmith Maid led the writer to the firm 
conviction that trotters derived their form and gait from a source other than 
the thoroughbred. In studying her over he concluded then and there that 
she had a pacing form, and suddenly the thought struck him that the key 
to trotting was the pacing faculty modified, an impression of which he 
could never free himself. Under date March 10, 1874, the writer sent the 
following letter to Mr. J. H. Wallace, editor of the Trotting Register; 

"I see in a late number of the '■Spirit' 1 that you qualify jour Messenger theory o£ 
trotting instinct by admitting pacers as next to Messenger stock for imparting that m- 



30 the; veterinary doctor. 

stinct. Now, a year ago last September I wrote you a letter inquiring about Jim Irving 
and your views about his thoroughbred pedigree, and you wrote me that his sire was a. 
pacer and not a thoroughbred, which you have since proved to your satisfaction. Shortly 
afterward I was in Chicago, looking at Goldsmith Maid with a view of trying to make- 
out her likeness to a thoroughbred, as others had, having in my mind at the time that 
breeding gave a trotter his speed; but I failed. I could see no particular resemblance, 
but those hips, thighs and stifles set my mind inquiring what particular breed they be- 
longed to, for they looked decidedly familiar. At last I was persuaded and exclaimed, 
that Goldsmith Maid was a pacer in form, consequently in breeding, although I was 
aware that there was no known pacing blood in her. So firmly was I convinced that 
pacing blood gave the trotter his speed that I then referred to all the known instances, 
from Highland Maid down to the pacing sires and trotters of the present day. 1 wrote 
you a long letter, but destroyed it, not willing to trouble you before I had investigated 
further, a d not wishing to disturb the Messenger theory on which you had already 
written one book and were compiling another. I did investigate and found every circum- 
stance strengthened the proposition that the pacing element in a trotter gives him speed. 
* * * The question whether the world will be benefited by a knowledge of the 
fact that our grand trotters, our beautiful fast flyers, are after all descended from au 
insignificant scrubby pony, or worse, the long-despised pacer, will be answered by asking 
whether the world will be set right, or go on blindly breeding to horses and from mares- 
that have no more trot than a Newfoundland dog, simply because they are Hamblelonians,. 
Mambrinos, or thoroughbred." 

In reply, Mr. Wallace wrote as follows, from Allegheny, Penn., under 
date March 16, 1874: 

(i Your very interesting letter is before me, and it is a real sorrow that I have not 
tinae to consider it in detail. * * * It is a truth as firm as the everlasting 
hills that English Mambrino and his son Messenger did found a race of trotters, without 
any knoivii assistance. It is a truth also, just as well established, that fast trotters have 
come from pacing ancestors. All the trotting speed of this country comes from one or 
the other of these sources, except possibly from the dam of Vermont Black Hawk. What- 
ever speed the Morgan possesses and imparts comes from the Canadian. I propose to 
?nake the Canadian a subject of careful investigation the very first leisure and opportunity 
that I have. He is worthy of great consideration in the problem, but he cannot displace 
Messenger as a fountain of trotting blood. Why not give your ideas to the public 
through the Spirit? I assure you they are valuable." 

Since that time Mr. Wallace endeavors to show that his ideal trotting 
founder, Messenger, derived his faculty from the old English pacing breed. 

TROTTING BREEDS, ETC. 

The foundation is already laid for a breed of trotters ; the Hambletonians 
being noted for general make-up, for substance and quality, as well as for 
positive trotting capacity; the Mambrinos for size and lasting endurance; 
the Clays for tenacity of trotting action; the Black Hawk and other Mor- 
gans for their general utility; and other strains for remote crosses. Other 



5 V 



&>\\W£ 




31 



32 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

families will no doubt come forward with much more prominence for the 
furtherance of the trotting habit and the establishing of a breed of trotters. 
Therefore it must be plain that, according to the law that like begets like, 
if these examples thus show the tendency to either trot or pace, in time a 
breed of trotters must result, if such animals with this tendency are selected 
for breeding purposes as have the further capacity to reproduce numbers as 
well as individual examples. This brings us to the question, What has 
been done toward establishing a breed of trotters? 

In the early history of trotting in this country it was found that the 
blood of imported Messenger was frequently met with in the horses, so 
that it became very popular, and its best use has culminated in the descend- 
.ants of his son Mambrino through two channels, the main one of which 
was through his son Abdallah, and through Abdallah's son Rysdyk's 
Hambletonian. The other Mambrino branch came down through his 
grandson Mambrino Chief. 

The horse Hambletonian became popular in the stud because of the 
Messenger blood he inherited, and because he was a son of Abdallah, the 
popular trotting sire of his day. Then his son George Wilkes, by virtue 
of his performances, gave him great notoriety, quickly followed by Dexter 
and others, until now he has thirty-six representatives in the 2 130 list. 
Hambletonian heads the list as the foremost prepotent element in the for- 
mation of a breed. A great deal of writing and tabulation of statistics has 
been advanced to show his excellences, but that the arguments may not be 
•one-sided, the following comparison is presented: The stud-books of Ham- 
bletonian show that he begot over thirteen hundred foals, thirty-six of which 
trotted in 2 :3c Woodford Mambrino begot eighty-nine foals, ten of which 
have trotted in 2 :3c This shows about three per cent, for Hambletonian 
and ten per cent, for Woodford Mambrino. This fact is attracting atten- 
tion, and the stud-books of other horses are to be investigated. 

To what extent a sire will attain to the perpetuating capacity is a ques- 
tion which deserves as much consideration as the rate of speed. That 
Hambletonian's record will be far surpassed there can be no reasonable 
doubt. Other horses with like chances might perhaj^s have done as well 
or better, but this strain has in some way been forwarded, and has evinced 
a harmonizing and neutrally composing element which will be advanta- 
geous in a lasting degree. Next to George Wilkes, Volunteer is the most 
prepotent of Hambletonian's sons, with twenty-three 2:30 performers, five 
of which have marked below 2:20, and one 2:111^. Dictator, brother to 
Dexter, has three trotters in 2:17 or better, and one in 2:10^. 

Harold has the fastest trotter of all the sons of Hambletonian, or any 
other horse, in the performance of Maud S in 2:10^, though a great 



THE HOUSE — INTRODUCTION. 33 

many other sons have produced numbers of 2 130 horses. Beside this 
speed-production, Hamhletonian has begotten horses with his capacity of 
reproducing' producers, the most prominent of which is Alexander's Abdallah, 
who produced the trotter Goldsmith Maid (2:14), and the great producing 
stallion Almont, who has produced twenty-three trotters and one pacer 
with 2:30 records or better, three of which have beaten 2:20, beside 
several stallions that have produced 2 130 performers. Among the other 
sons of Alexander's Abdallah that have produced 2:30 trotters are Jim 
Monroe, Belmont, Major Edsal, Thornedale, Wood's Hamhletonian, and 
Abdallah Pilot. Many grandsons of Alexander's Abdallah have also 
produced well. 

The other Messenger branch, through Mambrino Chief, is scarcely 
less important. While not giving us as many trotters or as great speed, 
for other purposes perhaps just as desirable, it has done much to preserve 
the trotting form. Its representatives incline to size and style, as well as 
to constitutional vigor, vitality and lasting power. . Their founder 
was a large, coarse, heavy-headed, but strong and resolute horse, with a 
very powerful, sweeping gait. He has six 2 ^o performers to his 
jcredit. His son Mambrino Patchen, brother to Lady Thorn, has thirteen; 
'Woodford Mambrino, another son, has ten; of his other sons, Clark Chief 
jhas eight, Mambrino Pilot six (one in 2:17^), Ericsson five, Manbrunello 
'two, Fisk's Mambrino Chief four, Idol three, Ashland Chief two. His 
'grandsons bid fair to produce equally well. This in the main brings 
idown Messenger. 

If we classify pacers under the head of distinct individual founders, 
one pacing stallion would still take rank in direct prepotency, although 
his powers of perpetuation have gone no farther than the first generation 
jto any extent. We refer to Blue Bull, and it is a question whether he 
does not take equal rank with Hamhletonian in this respect, and some 
claim that he even surpasses the latter. He has thirty-four trotters to his 

redit in the 2:30 list (another being doubtful), and he has one pacer, so that 

n this matter he would equal Hambletonian's thirty-six, if the pacer and 
doubtful trotter are reckoned. Besides, it is very certain that he will surpass 
pirn in the future. If the present standard should be cut down to 2:25, each 
ould have fourteen; if it were reduced to 2:20, Hamhletonian would have 

wo and Blue Bull one, both being then surpassed by a number of others. 

Since the foregoing was written two other trotters of the 2 :t,o class have 

'een added to Blue Bull's record). 

Tiie next greatest of the pacing families are the Pilots, thcdescend- 

nts of old Pacing Pilot, through his sons Pilot, Jr., Tom Crowder, and a 

: ew others of less note. Pilot, Jr. has seven or eight trotters in the 2 130 

I 



34 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

list; of his sons, Bayard has three, Tattler two, Roscoe one, Pilot Temple 
one, Pilot Duroc one. Yet it has been through the female lines that his 
blood has gained its greatest celebrity, one of his mares producing a 2:101^ 
trotter and another a 2:10^ performer. Many other daughters of 
Pilot, Jr. have produced wonderfully well, and no mares are more 
eagerly sought than his. . The Crowder branch of the Pilot stock is most 
favorably known through Tom Wonder, sire of four 2 130 trotters, and 
there are many other scattering examples of the Pilots. 

The Hiatogas were great speed-producers, both pacers and trotters. 
Scott's Hiatoga was the sire of six 2 :$o pacers and five 2 130 trotters. The 
Cadmus family were descendants of Iron's Cadmus who was the sire of 
Pocahontas (pacer, 2:17^ to wagon), and grand sire of Smuggler (2:151^, 
the fastest trotting record by a stallion). Pocahontas was the dam of Tom 
Rolf, sire of Sleepy Tom (pacer, 2:12^), Gem (pacer, 2.13%^), Lady Rolf 
(trotter, 2:22^), Tom Hendricks (trotter, 2:35), and Young Rolf, a new- II 
comer, is now also added to his 2:30 list. Tom Rolf was also the sire of j 
Pocahontas Boy, sire of Buffalo Girl (pacer, 2:12^), the fast pacer Gurgle, 
and about a half-dozen of 2 130 pacers and trotters. Bonner's Pocahontas 
(2 :263/£) was a daughter of Old Pocahontas, and the fast young stallion Rev- 
enue, hy Smuggler, is descended through his dam from old Pocahontas. 

The Davy Crocketts have a large showing, though scattering, the 
best results being reached through Legal Tender, sire of Red Cloud (2:18), 
and several other 2 130 pacers and trotters. Then there are the Tom Hals, 
Redbucks, Corbeaus, with many others, and when the fact is appreciated 
that these horses were mostly kept in the back ground, with no opportuni- 
ties and a nominal service fee, not held for the purpose of breeding trotters, 
and when we further consider their limited produce, we may reasonably sup- 
pose that, with such, chances as are now afforded stallions, much greater 
celebrity might have been attained. 

Looking at the unhampered results of the produce of pacing-bred 
mares, we see a legion of trotters that spring from this source which, when 
gathered together, are a convincing proof that the pacers are the Cinder- 
ellas of the trotting world, and their proud sisters, if their breeding were 
studied and the pages of their history were fully open, would after all be 
seen to be of the same plebeian origin. 

Whence came the pacing tendency in the Hambletonians? has been 
asked. Whence, indeed? There are many gaps to fill in the Ham 
bletonian pedigree. Perhaps it is in these. Look for it in the dam of 
Abdallah, or even in the dam of Hambletonian himself. You do not know 
that it is in them, nor do you know that it is not there, though you do know 
that, if they have it, they must have received it from some source. 




35 



36 the veterinary doctor. 

In reviewing the claims of the pacer as a progenitor of trotters, we see 
that the fastest trotter in the world, Maud S (2:10*^), is a converted pacer, 
for she paced and racked. The fastest trotting stallion, Smuggler (2:151^), 
was originally a pacer. The greatest progenitor of trotters (if we accord 
to Blue Bull this distinction) was a pacer and the most of his best trotters 
were converted pacers. The fastest trotter under saddle, Great Eastern, 
Was once a pacer. Trinket (2 U4) was converted to the trotting faith, though 
a very fast pacer, and a majority of the best trotters pace or amble more or 
less, which it is well known the best thoroughbreds never do. Moreover, 
nearly all of the best trotters have a pacing conformation. 

The next family of trotters is that of the Bashaw blood, generally 
understood to have originated with imported Bashaw, an Arabian or Barb 
horse. It is sub-divided thus: ( 1) the Bashaw proper; (2) the Clay, through 
the descendants of Henry Clay, the son of Andrew Jackson, son of Young 
Bashaw, by imported Bashaw 5(3) the Patchen, through the descendants of 
George M. Patchen, son of Cassius M. Clay, by Henry Clay. To the 
descendants of the Bashaw proper belong Long Island Black Hawk and 
his descendants, chiefly represented by his grandson Green's Bashaw, who 
has eleven 2 130 performers to his credit. Long Island Black Hawk was 
by Andrew Jackson. The Clays are the descendants of Henry Clay, 
principally through his son Cassius M. Clay and his descendants (not 
including the son of the latter, George M. Patchen, and his descendants, 
which constitute the Patchen branch). Two of Cassius M. Clay's sons 
produced each four 2:30 trotters, and another three; another produced 
American Girl (2:161^), the fastest representative of this branch. The 
Clay blood is further diffused through their sons and is considered very 
valuable in both the male and female lines, the dam of St. Julien, by 
Harry Clay, son of Neaves' Cassius M. Clay, Jr., being the choicest 
specimen in the female line. Other descendants have more or less distin- 
guished themselves, as the dams of Hattie Woodard (2:155^), George 
Wilkes and others. Among the much-sought Clay mares those (if Harry 
Clay have heretofore been the favorites. George M. Patchen, sire of 
Lucy (2:18^), is best represented in the male line by Godfrey's Patchen, 
sire of seven 2:30 performers, one being Hopeful with 2:14^ to his 
credit, with the best wagon time, 2:16. 

The next family to be noticed will be the Morgans with their innumer- 
able branches, chiefly known through Vermont Black Hawk, and he mainly 
through two channels, Ethan Allen and General Knox, the first a son and 
the second a great-grandson. Ethan Allen produced seven 2 130 trotters, his 
sons Daniel Lambert twenty-six, Woodard's Ethan Allen six, Bacon's Ethan 
Allen three, Honest Allen two. Many other sons have produced well, as 



THE HORSE INTRODUCTION. 37 

also the sons of Daniel Lambert. General Knox produced eleven and his son 
Gilbreth Knox three 2 130 performers, and others of his sons have produced 
well. Golddust, a Morgan, produced five 2:30 trotters. 

The blood of American Star, now so fashionable, is to be met with 
almost wholly in the descendants of his daughters, about thirty of which 
have produced 2 130 trotters, many of them two each, and Clara, the dam 
of Dexter, produced three, being also the dam of Dictator, the premier sire. 
All of these were by Rvsdyk's Hambletonian, and it was to Clara that the 
Hambletonian Star cross owed its first impetus. Widow Machree, a 
daughter of Star, and one or two others were the only trotters he can claim 
for the 2:30 list, but the Widow produced Aberdeen, who has more 2:30 
performers to his credit than any other stallion of this cross — nine trotters 
and one pacer, the fastest of which is Hattie Woodward (2:155^). Be- 
side these, the others of this cross who have produced well are Jay Gould, 
Enfield, Masterlode, Independent, Startle and Walkill Chief; and some of 
the sons of American Star are represented by one, two or three each. The 
breeding of American Star is not certainly known, but as he and his de- 
scendants possessed many physical characteristics in common with the Pilots 
and Blue Bulls, it is most probably the case that the pacing element was 
the dominant feature of his ancestry, well ground in with thoroughbred, 
especially if his daughter, the gray mare Peerless, owned by Robert Bon- 
ner, may be taken as a model. 

There are many other valuable strains of trotting blood, mostly of 
Canadian origin, among which are the descendants of Champion, Royal 
George, Columbus, St. Lawrence, and many others that will no doubt in 
the future rank high. Some individual trotting sires have other merits as 
well as speed to recommend them to favor. Especially is this the case in 
regard to size, style and showy appearance. The most noted are Daniel 
Lambert, Mambrino King, Don Cossack, King Rene, and Almont Lightning. 

COLT TROTTING. 

The educating of the trotting horse in his infancy has attracted much 
attention of late years, and is very important to breeders, for it enables 
them to dispose of their stock much more quickly than if they were obliged 
to wait for the animal to mature. The first notable colt performance was 
that of Ethan Allen on May 10, 1853. He gained a record of 2 136 when four 
years old. Magna Charta, at four years, on October 14, 1S59, scored 2:331^. 
Erricsson, in i860, lowered the record to 2:305^; Bruno, in 1865, to 2:30; 
Galatea, in 1877, to 2:251^ ; Elaine, in 187S, to 2:241^. Trinket was the 
first to get below 2 :2o, making 2:19^. Jay Eye See lowered the same- 




x , tip* hi fy"\! 



^V 



38 



THE HORSE INTRODUCTION. 39 

three-fourths of a second, and Boaita now holds the scepter with 2:18^. 

As a three-year-old, Cora, in 1S60, made 2:373^; Blackwoo;!, in 1S69, 
2:31; Lady Stout, in 1S74, 2:29; Phil Thompson, in 1881,2:21; and Hinda 
Rose, in 18S3, obtained the fastest heat on record, 2:191^. 

At two years, Julia Ann Johnson scored 2:45^ in 1S71. The follow- 
ing year Doble lowered this record to 2 1403^ ; in 1S77, So-So made 2 :^S^4 ; 
in 1880, Fred Crocker made 2:251^; in 18S1, Wild Flower made the re- 
markable time of 2:21, and Sweetheart 2:231^. 

The great yearling performance of Hinda Rose, 2:36^, stands alone 
and unapproached, and is a remarkable record for that age. 

PACING. 

Nothing like the attention has been devoted to the pacer that the 
trotter has received, so that his history and performances are obscure. 
There have no doubt been many fast pacing records that are now lost 
through neglect. In old times such horses as Roanoke, Oneida Chief and 
Hero were accounted on a par with the trotters of the day; but when the 
wonderful mare Pocahontas distanced Hero in 2:171^, and drew a wagon, 
and that too with an overweight driver, with the gi'eatest ease, it was found 
that the trotters of the day were not up to that record. Since then the 
record has been gradually lowered, till now 2:10 has been reached by the 
bay gelding Johnston, and this -also eclipses the trotting record which for a 
time held the* supremacy. It is the popular belief that the star of the 
pacer is in the ascendant, but it is very doubtful whether pacing can ever 
compare with trotting, especially when we can breed trotters from trotters 
with certainty, so that the trot will be as natural as the pace now is. 
Already we see so many examples of great performers bred directly from 
trotting stock that we may hope in the near future to rely on the actual 
establishment of a breed of trotting horses, and a pure-bred trotter will be 
much more desirable than an animal produced by the hap-hazard method of 
hybridizing from which most of our great trotters have sprung. 

[At Chicago, on July 10, 1SS4, when the above was standing in type, 
the pacer Westmont, a chestnut gelding, by Almont, with his running mate 
Firebrand, a thoroughbred by Fireball, made the marvelous record of 
2:013^ on an exhibition turn — first quarter, 30^ seconds; half, 1:00; three- 
quarters, 1 130. In spite of a break at the finish, he thus did the fastest 
mile ever made in harness, and handsomely led all former pacers and 
trotters. Frank and mate had astonished horsemen in the fall of 1883 by 
a score of 2:0814. — Editor.] 




SKELETON OF THE HORSE. 



Cranium. 
Lower jaw. 
Cervical vertebrae. 

4. Dorsal vertebrae. 

5. Lumbar vertebrae. 

6. Sacrum. 

7. Coccygeal vertebra;. 
Sternum. 

9. True ribs. 

10. Cartilages of true ribs. 

11. False ribs. 

12. Cartilages of false ribs. 



13. Scapula. 

14. Humerus. 

15. Radius. 

16. Elbow. 

17. Os Pisiforme. 
iS, 19, 1 

20, 21, > Carpal bones. 
22, 23. ) 

24. Large metacarpal bone. 

25. Outer small metacarpal bone. 

26. Inner small metacarpal bone. 
27j 2S. Sesamoid bones. 



47. Inner small metatarsal bone. 

40 



29. Os suffraginis. 

30. Crown bone. 

31. Hoof. 

32. Wing of pedal bone. 

33> 34> 35. 36- Os Innominatum. 
37. Femur. 
3& Tibia. 
39. - Os Calcis. 

40. Astralagus. 

41, 42, 43, 44. Tarsal bones. 

45. Large metatarsal bone. 

46. Outer small metatarsal bone. 



CHAPTER I. 
SIGNS OF HEALTH AND DISEASE. 

ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY. 

TWi r." fillATEVER maybe one's opinion upon the great question of 
MiL/A/- cv '°l u tion, even a little observation will demonstrate to every one 
^\ (M^yll) ^ iat ^' ie Creator of the universe has maintained .a marvelous 
I c^^n) unity of design and organism throughout the various orders of 
animal life. While man is " fearfully and wonderfully made," the same 
wonder is aroused when we see that the several animals, particularly of the 
higher kinds, have substantially the same physiological organs and func- 
tions. He who has made a study of the human body has the material facts 
about the horse, ox and other domestic animals. (It would evidently 
involve tiresome and unnecessary repetitions to give the general anatomy 
and physiology of these animals after the treatise which we have set forth 
on those subjects as related to man. The reader will find about all the 
information on these topics that he will have occasion to apply in the domes- 
tic treatment of his animals if he will refer to the introductory pages of the 
appropriate chapters in Part I.) To be sure, the functions vary not a little 
and a few differences in organism exist, but these will be mentioned in the 
course of the following pages as the treatment will most properly demand. 
It is obvious, too, that after the horse has been fully treated, very much 
will have been said that is applicable to other animals, the cow, sheep, 
hog and dog in particular. Hence, the part of this book which is devoted 
to the Horse will not only give all needful information upon the compara- 
tively few disorders of the Ass and Mule, but will be frequently referred to 
in the parts devoted to other animals. 

In giving the Signs of Health and Disease of the Horse, we ask the 
reader to understand that he has before him very much that applies to other 
animals, and can gain the required facts by substituting the name of the one 
which he is studying in the context. 

Signs of Health. — The following are general signs of health: 
Smooth and bright coat, loose skin, medium warmth of all the parts, clear 

41 



42 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

and bright eyes, natural but not excessive appetite which is not affected by 
ordinary work, regular and easy passages from the bowels and bladder,, 
regular respiration from eight to ten times a minute, uniform heart-beats 
about forty-five per minute and a medium load of fat. If any of these are 
materially disturbed some derangement exists, and more or less disease is 
present if such disturbance is more than fitful. 

Signs of Disease. — The family physician is helpless unless he knows 
the symptoms of his patient, but these he can learn with more ease by ask- 
ing questions than one can determine the condition of a dumb animal. He 
who would treat the latter must wholly depend upon his observation. 
Indeed, the owner of such an animal can scarcely be deemed less than cruel 
if he is so careless as not to extend to it a reasonable attention to ascertain 
whether it is in health. Any one can be reasonably certain whether his 
domestic animals are sick or well if he but be observing. 

Prominent signs of disorder are these: Failure to notice a sound or the 
approach of another animal or a person, heedless standing, hanging head, 
general dullness, with eyes and ears perfectly still or drooping. Such signs 
are to be seen whether the animal is tired, old, abused, sleepy or sick. If 
the skin is pimply, or cold and damp, or unusually hot, dry and harsh, or 
sticks closely to the flesh and bones; if the hair stands on end and is not 
bright and smooth; if the nose, ears and feet are unduly cold in moderate 
weather; if the animal paws his bedding, or shows an unusual disposition 
to lie down, or looks around at his sides, switches his tail in the absence of 
flies, or uneasily stands on different feet successively, then pain is most likely 
present, and certainly the animal is not well. A more detailed notice of 
some signs is now in order. 

The Pulse. — The pulse is the stroke felt at a point where an artery 
comes near the surface. In man, it is more commonly sought out on the 
wrist; in the domestic animals it is more easily found at the edge of the 
jaw. Passing the finger from the angle of the jaw along the lower edge., 
we will notice a slight depression or notch, and by pressing the finger into 
this we feel the pulsations of the artery. Whereas in man in adult life the 
heart beats, or the pulse, will be from 65 to 72, and may be increased a half 
;>r even doubled by excitement, those of the horse are much less, ranging 
about as follows: At birth, 100 to 120; at two weeks of age, 80 to 96; 
three months, 68 to 76; six months, 64 to 72; one year, 48 to 56; two 
years, 40 to 48; 'four years, 38 to 4S. The average after three years is 
about 45. These figures may be considered the standard of a healthy 
pulse, some allowance being made for variations of temperature. 

In health the pulse is regular, full, round and distinct, and when 
increased bv excitement it retains the same relative chai-acteristics. It is 



THE HORSE SIGNS OF HEALTH AND DISEASE. 43 

well to frequently examine the healthy pulse that the finger may "become 
accustomed to it. In doing this we should note not only its rate, but the 
characteristics as well, with the conditions surrounding the animal, for the 
characteristics and rate materially depend upon these, conditions. In disease- 
there are many variations, and a few of the most common will be given. 

When the pulse is quick and strong, from 60 to 120 beats per minute, 
and the artery feels full and not easily compressed, it is an indication of 
fever or some inflammatory disease. 

When it is quick and small, the artery appearing not full, and the pul- 
sations are feeble, it indicates a state of depression or debility, such as is 
found in low, exhausting diseases, as typhoid pneumonia in the latter 
stage. 

When the circulation through the brain is obstructed, the pulse is full 
and strong but slow, sometimes the beats being one-third below the normal 
standard. When this condition exists and the pulse is feeble, it indicates 
apoplexy or other serious brain disturbances, as paralysis for example. 

Sometimes the pulse is intermittent, losing a beat occasionally; it may 
be the result of some functional disorder of the heart, or permanent and 
point to some organic diseases of this organ. 

The compressible pulse is full and plump, a very light pressure will 
detect the pulsation, and if the pressure increase the pulsation ceases; this 
indicates a weak circulation and is usually the result of congestion. 

The Nervous System. — If any of the following symptoms are seen,, 
affections of the nervous system are indicated, and such diseases should be 
studied under their special divisions: — Defective hearing or sight, or com- 
plete loss of the same, eyes changed in color, general stupidity, loss of use 
in some part of the body, tremors, twitching, convulsive motions, stiffness, 
marks of dizziness, perhaps with falls, repeated turnings around, frights 
without cause, enlarged or injured head. If these symptoms are noticed, 
further examination should be made to ascertain especially whether the 
pulse is right, as well as the temperature of the body and the breathing. 
Of course the tongue, mouth and urine should be examined. 

The Digestive System. — Evidences of disorder in the digestive sys- 
tem are these: — The tongue and mouth may be dry, hot, furred or slimy, 
or of a bad odor, or may show eruptions or sores; the appetite may fail, or 
be unnatural, as shown by eating poor instead of good food, and licking 
iron, dirt or stones; the thirst may be unusually great; the belly swollen, 
giving a hollow sound when struck; the dung may be hard, dry, light or 
dark-colored, difficult or infrequent in passage, or too soft and thin, passing 
too frequently or involuntarily, or it may be discharged with apparent fear,, 
may smell disagreeably, or be bloody; the teeth may be decayed or worn 



44 the veterinary doctor. 

■short, and the animal, even when eating good food, may suddenly stop eat- 
ino- and soon commence (in such cases an examination should be made to 
ascertain if there are not sharp edges on the teeth to be filed down, or 
whether there is not a thorn or other foreign matter to be removed). 

Breathing. — It being well known that any disorder in a horse's 
breathing depreciates his value very much, this subject should be well 
studied. Breathing consists of two parts — the taking in and the expelling 
of air, marked by the swelling and falling in of the flanks, which should 
be even and barely perceptible. Symptoms of disordered breathing are a 
cold nose (in ordinary circumstances) or nostrils unusually red, dry and hot, 
or o-iving out a discharge with or without bad odor; raw or ulcerated nos- 
trils, the breathing though being perhaps interrupted by swelling, mucus, 
or warty growths in them; dry, short, or spasmodic coughs; sneezing; 
coughs, with phlegm-discharges, and short, obstructed, or painful breath- 
ing. Breathing is most rapid in young animals. It becomes more rapid 
by overloading the stomach and by other causes which impede the action of 
the lungs. Any excitement, as a fright or exercise, will have a like effect. 
By a test on one horse which normally breathed ten times to the minute, 
the number was nearly trebled after a walk of a few hundred yards; after 
a trot of five minutes, the respirations exceeded fifty, resuming their natural 
conditions after three minutes of rest; by a gallop of five minutes/the 
number was extended to sixty-five for one minute. / 

A quick, short respiration denotes pain, most probably in the intestines, 
and a catching and interrupted respiration indicates pleurisy. 

The respiration in which the heaving of the flanks is seen at a dis- 
tance is a sign of inflammation either in or about the lungs. 

The respiration in which the rising of the flanks is suddenly cut short, 
and the expulsion of the air performed by two efforts successively of the 
muscles of the belly, indicates broken wind; but may also be seen in in- 
fluenza in horses having heart-disease. 

Deep breathing indicates water in the chest. 

Retarded respiration usually attends diseases of the brain. 

The breathing of most animals in health is through the nostrils, with 
the mouth shut, is noiseless and without any manifestation except that of 
the slow, prolonged heaving of the chest in the larger animals, and the 
still, even, and regular though quicker movements of the chest in the 
smaller ones. The latter can breathe either through the nostrils or the 
mouth, but the horse is prevented by the formation of the soft palate from 
inhaling by the mouth; he therefore has extended nostrils to admit a large 
supply of air. In disease the nostrils may be contracted or widely opened 
at each inspiration; the breathing may be too quick, short, labored, irregu- 



THE HORSE— SIGNS OF HEALTH AND DISEASE. 45 

lar, jerky, superficial, wheezing, or grunting, as if each breath caused pain,, 
one side of the chest may fill out more than the other; the pressure of the 
hand on the chest may cause the animal to flinch or groan. Beside the 
cough, which may be barking, croupy, whistling, or dry and hard, the 
sounds which are heard within the chest in health, when one applies the 
ear to it, may be altered greatly in character, as also may the sound heard 
when the chest is smartly struck. These various sounds enable an experi- 
enced person to detect the character of the mischief within the chest. 

Urinary and Ge?zerative System. — The urine and general functions 
of the urinary and generative organs are deemed of great importance in 
treating man, and are of equal relative value in animals. We give the 
most important deviations from the healthy condition of these organs, and. 
the best methods of detecting the same. 

In the female there may be discharges from the womb or from the 
vagina; the sides of the exterior opening may he swollen and red; the 
udder may be swollen, tender, hard, or inflamed; the*teats may be cracked.. 

In the male the penis may be inflamed or ulcerated, the foreskin (the 
end of the sheath or covering which incloses the penis) may have warty 
or other growths on or within it. 

The urine in either sex may indicate derangement by being either 
scanty; seldom passed ; thick; whitish; darker than usual; strong-smelling;, 
bloody; dischai-ged in too large quantities; paler than usual; passed in 
small quantities, accompanied with straining, or in spurts with pain. 

All that is passed in twenty-four hours should if possible be col- 
lected and measured, and an observation should be made as to whether more 
or less than the usual quantity is passed. A healthy horse will discharge 
from five and a half to seven and a half gallons in the time named. A part 
of the amount passed during different portions of the day should be tested 
as to its specific gravity. This test may be made by the urinometer, 
which every veterinary surgeon should possess. Placing water at 1,000, 
the normal urine of the healthy horse will show a specific gravity of 1015. 

Sometimes the urine contains albumen. This element is one of the 
constituents of the blood, and its presence in the blood is indicative of a 
serious disorder of the kidneys, and its early discovery is of great impor- 
tance. 

Occasionally, though not often, sugar is found in the urine of ani- 
mals; this also indicates serious disease. It is known as diabetes, and 
when present the urine is passed in large quantities and has a clear, 
syrupy appearance and high specific gravity, reaching in some cases as 
high as 1030. When urine preserves this high specific gravity a test for 
sugar should be made. 



CHAPTER II. 

THE NERVOUS SYSTEM. 

BRAIN FEVER.— INFLAMMATION OF THE BRAIN. 

IPHIS disorder affects the brain or its membranes, or both, and is caused 
by over-exertion in warm weather or exposure to the sun on a hot 
kj [•'+• day; insufficiency of water; very stimulating food; hard blows on 
^p) the head. It is not common among horses. At fiist the symp- 
toms are mild, including heavy eyes, with red membranes under the eyelids; 
loss of appetite; the head rests on some object or between the legs; sleep, 




96. VIOLENT SYMPTOM OF BRAIN FEVER. 

followed by sudden waking, staring, and dozing again. In a day or two 
there will be delirium "with convulsions and fits of excitement; heaving 
flanks; wild, red, staling, bloodshot eyes, wide open; nostrils stretched out; 

46 



THE HORSE THE NERVOUS SYSTEM. 



1" 



the breathing has a snoring sound; constipation; scanty urine. Then may 
follow dullness, convulsions, loss of consciousness, and death ; or the horse 
may grow more violent before death, plunging about, pawing, biting and 
striking at every one near, with eyes standing out from the sockets, breath- 
ing and pulse rapid, and mouth hot and dry ; the horse dashes violently 
against any object by him, falls exhausted, foaming at the mouth, sweating, 
and then dying. Symptoms of colic may be confused with these, but in 
colic rolling is prominent, as it is not here, and consciousness is not lost. 
The symptoms of brain fever, or "mad-staggers," should be carefully com- 
pared with those of apoplexy, or "sleepy staggers," found in the next sec- 
tion. But those of stomach staggers (see section on that disease) are most 
likely to be confused with the indications of brain fever. Hence the fol- 
lowing distinctions made by Gamgee should be carefully noted: 



INFLAMMATION OF THE BRAIN. 

Very rare ; never epidemic. 

History indicates the cause to be some 
local injury; sometimes due to disease of 
the ears. 

Originates and progresses slowly. 

Usually very slight functional disturb- 
ance of stomach and intestines, indicated 
by costiveness. 

High fever of a persistent type. 

Stupor, listlessness. 

No signs of colic, and rarely sweats. 

Permanent uneasiness, ranging very 
slightly in intensity ; delirium occasionally 
marked, but more frequently coma. 

Symptoms yield slowly and with diffi- 
culty to treatment. 

Consequences. — No tendency to ruptured 
stomach; suppuration oficn results, with 
marked symptoms of coma or blood-poi- 
soning. 



STOMACH STAGGERS WITH DELIRIUM. 

A common disease ; often epidemic. 

History indicates the cause to be repletion 
of the stomach. 



Comes on suddenly. 

Marked signs of derangement of alimen- 
tarv canal. 



Febrile symptoms easily dispersed, 
Symptoms of severe pain. 
Colic, sweats, tremors. 
Paroxysmal derangement and severe de- 
lirium. 

When evacuation of the stomach is ob- 
tained the delirium disappears, and the 
animal soon recovers. 

Consequences. — -Death in a few hours in 
many cases ; ruptured stomach, indicated 
by symptoms of vomiting. 



Treatment. — The most common. treatment is free blood-letting, with 
powerful cathartics. While this may give temporary relief, the depletion, 
even if recovery takes place, will often produce a useless animal, a fine- 
spirited horse scarcely ever becoming more than a broken-down hack. A 
much better treatment consists in arterial sedatives which lessen the fever 
and allay the inflammation. Among the best of these we mention 



4a ■ - THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

tincture ot veratrum viride in five-drop doses every half hour to two hours- 
until the pulse is diminished in frequency and the symptoms improve. 
Aconite is another good remedy for the early stages, especially 
for prominent and persistent fever-symptoms; hard, rapid pulse; labored 
breathing; inflamed nostrils and eyes. Belladonna is needed for dull, red,. 
or wild eyes; vessels of the head swollen, and those of the neck pulsating;: 
hot, dry mouth ; plunging; raging; unconsciousness; increased paroxysms; 
convulsions in the legs; foaming at the mouth; the horse falls, sweats, lies 
a short time, and rises again with violent actions. Give opium for constipa- 
tion; slow and full pulse; drowsiness; stupor; breathing slow; glassy eyes;, 
nostrils spread. Gelsemium is desirable when the disease results from 
direct exposure to the hot sun; much weakness of the muscles; enlarged 
pupils. Give glonoine when the eyes protrude, with wild, staring look,. 
without the fury which indicates belladonna. Arnica (putting ten drops 
of tincture in a pint of water, and giving a tablespoonful every hour, or 
oftener) is desirable when the disorder arises from a blow or other externaL 
injur)'. « Bromide of potassa in half-drachm to one-drachm doses, or chloral 
hydrate in doses of twenty to forty grains, will allay the delirium and: 
violent symptoms. Put cold cloths about the head, and give as diet a 
little hay or grass, with a free allowance of water, keeping the animal in a 
cool, airy stable and insure as complete quiet as possible. 

APOPLEXY— SLEEPY STAGGERS. 

This is characterized by an impairment or loss of consciousness, feeling, 
and power of motion, caused by pressure on the brain from concussion, con- 
gestion of blood-vessels. We treat apoplexy and sleepy staggers together, 
though they are not the same. The former is much more rapid in its 
course, but calls for such measures as are here indicated, if time is given for 
any treatment. 

Symptoms. — Dullness in the stable or harness; hanging of the head,, 
often with some object as a support; sight and hearing dull; pulse and 
breathing slow; the horse takes food with his lips, dozes, wakens and re- 
news eating; the dung does not pass frequently, and is scanty. As the dis- 
ease increases, the horse may be startled by a sharp noise, as the cracking 
of a whip, but is unable to move; prefers to stand, the legs being in strange 
positions, pushed forward or back, or even crossed; falls, and cannot rise;, 
hind legs sometimes convulsed; then the eyes protrude, staring fiercely 
and immovably, the pupils becoming enlarged; grinding teeth; swallowing 
difficult, or wholly stopped ; muscles twitch; vessels of the neck are en- 
larged; nose cold; dung passes involuntarily; sometimes nervous excite- 



THE HORSE THE NERVOUS SYSTEM. 49 

raent and delirium, followed by stupidity. It is not attended with swelling 
of the stomach, as in the case of Stomach Staggers. 

Treatment. — Treatment is seldom beneficial, but the remedies most 
likely to relieve are here given, and should be administered while the horse 
is kept perfectly quiet in cases of Apoplexy. Belladonna is desirable for 
wild, staring, immovable eyes, with enlarged pupils; twitching and jerking 
of the legs; involuntary passage of urine. Continue it some time. Give 
mix vomica for lessened consciousness; constipation; involuntary discharge 
of urine; inability to move the iimbs; spasmodic jerks. Opium may be 
given for drowsiness, or deep sleep; irregular, snoring breathing; full, slow 
pulse; contracted pupils. In the case of Apoplexy, keep the horse per- 
fectly quiet. When Sleepy Staggers are under treatment, do not work 
the horse at all in warm weather, and never to excess at any time. While 
the former is rapidly fatal, the latter may continue even for years, though 
the animal is not fit for breeding purposes after it has appeared. 

PARALYSIS. 

This is a loss of the power of locomotion, perhaps with loss of sensi- 
bility, resulting from a disorder of the nerves. It usually affects only the 
hind parts, but may be found in any portion of the body which is influ- 
enced by the nerves that are disordered. It is caused by attempts to stop a 
heavy load when descending a hill; by slipping up; by straining in a leap; 
by a severe blow on the back; by turning in a stall; 'by casting in the stable; 
bv violent exertion during a surgical operation; by a fall in a race, in which 
case the horse lies a short time, rises slowly, is stiff, drags his legs, lies in 
the stable unable to rise, indicating great pain, quivering and slight spasms of 
the muscles of the hind quarters if there be a strain in the muscles; (if the 
spine be injured by such a fall, the muscles are quiet and soft to the touch). 
Another cause is the bringing of young horses to a sudden halt, throwing 
them upon their haunches. 

Symptoms. — In slight paralysis, dragging of the hind legs; in other 
cases, inability to rise, excepting to receive a support on the front legs; loss 
of sensibility in the affected parts; involuntary discharge of dung and urine; 
mortification. It should be said, in general, that any portion of the body, 
however small, may be paralyzed. 

Treatment. — The first aim in the treatment is the discovery and re- 
moval of the special cause, if that is possible, whether it be a derangement 
of the urinary, digestive or uterine organs, congestion, inflammation, or the 
pressure of some foreign substance on the brain. When paralysis is due to 
some inflammatory condition of the brain or spinal cord, with wild, staring 



50 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

eyes, fever, and other symptoms of congestion, belladonna should be given. 
Hellebore is useful, in cases marked by dry skin, retention of urine and 
dung, and when the disorder comes on suddenly. The various nerve- 
stimulants will be found valuable in protracted cases, and among them 
strychnia and nitrate of silver hold the first rank. They should be given in 
small doses, and be continued some time. Give nux vomica for stiffness of 
the back, and when the cause of the paralysis is not known; also when it 
results from insufficient food. When the cause is blows, contusions and 
other injuries of the kind, give arnica. Rhus is needed when the par- 
alysis is caused by strains, running, jumping, or general over-exertion, 
or rheumatism. Of the last two medicines, a wash may be applied 
externally on the injured part. 

Rub the affected part frequently. Give nourishing food. A current 
of electricity passed through the affected part will be of great value, but 
should be applied only by one who has been well informed. 

EPILEPSY.— CONVULSIONS. 

This is a disorder of the brain or nerves, marked by sudden fits. It is 
not frequent in the old horse, though it sometimes attacks the foal. If 
neglected, it will lead to much danger. Its causes are injury to the nervous 
system from disordered blood, brought on by exposure to the heat of the 
sun; difficult teething; grazing upon low pastures, chiefly when much dew 
falls; sudden change from poor to very rich food; protracted complaints, as 
fever and jaundice. 

Symptoms. — The animal, having been perhaps in apparently per- 
fect health, suddenly stops feeding, stares, trembles, staggers, falls, is seized 
with sudden and often severe convulsions; the eyes are much sunken, roll, 
or are distorted ; affected breathing; teeth grind; mouth foams; muscles of 
the neck stiff and contracted; body twisted, perhaps violently; insensibility. 
Then the colt may rise, eat, and be in seemingly good health again. The 
fit may last several hours, and may recur in a few weeks, growing more 
frequent if not prevented, and many repetitions will probably cause death. 
This disorder is due to reflex irritation of the nervous system, and generally 
has its origin in some deranged state of the digestive tract, most cases being 
due to worms, the removal of which will cure the affection. Remove the 
cause, if possible, whatever it be. 

Treatment. — For general convulsions, especially of the mouth, eyes 
and face; sparkling, red, staring, protruding eyes; difficult breathing; 
foaming mouth; limbs stiff and stretched out; loss of sensibility; involun- 
tary passage of urine and dung; body stiff, and head drawn back during 



THE HORSE — THE NERVOUS SYSTEM. 



51 



the fit; falling down of the horse, and for irritation of the teeth, give bella- 
donna night and morning for a while; then at night for several weeks, to 
prevent a recurrence. Should belladonna fail, give stramonium for the 
same symptoms, but resume belladonna for several weeks after an attack, 
five to ten drops of the tincture at night. Nux vomica is desirable when 
indigestion or constipation is the cause of the attack. When the cause is 
teething, the gum may be lanced and belladonna be given. If the animal 
is excitable and robust, give less nourishing food, and more exercise; if 
weak, tone up the system with nourishing food. During the attack prop 
the mouth open with a stick, to prevent injury to the tongue, and allow the 
animal to inhale ammonia slowly and with the greatest caution. 

FITS.— VERTIGO.— MEGRIMS. 




This disorder is a congestion of the vessels of the brain, marked by 
sudden faintness and insensibility, without convulsions, and with speedy re- 
covery. One form ^called megrims technically) is caused by pressure of 
the collar on the jugular vein, by which the blood is prevented from pass- 
ing out of the vein. This 'form is most common in horses with peculiarly 
shaped heads; in those which carry the head high, with stiff neck, the nose 
being stiffly held out, so that running is difficult ("star-gazers"); and in 
such as carry the head on one side. Horses are predisposed to 'the com- 
plaint by the following (and perhaps these are the whole cause in some 
cases): Hot weather; high temper; hard work 
and bad feeding, or little work and high feed- 
ing; excessive exertion; pulling heavy loads up- 
hill; bearing reins; sudden and tight reining. 

Symfitoi7is. — The horse maybe in such good 

j condition as to give no outward signs of liability 
to the disorder, even to the practiced eye of the 
veterinarian. All at once, perhaps on a hill at 
a critical moment of work, he shakes his head, 
perhaps his whole body; lays back his ears; 

I throws up his head, with twitchings in the mus- 
cles of the neck; looks wild, his whole body 
trembling; nostrils and eyelids quiver; eyeballs 
are prominent; sometimes he then is quiet a 

/ moment and the fit passes away; at other times he reels, falls to the ground 

I lies nearly or quite insensible, and convulsed; urine and dung may be in- 
voluntarily passed; free sweating at the close of the fit. The attacks are 
periodical, and more often occur during hot weather, and at hard work. 



HP 



After Repeated Attacks 
ok Megrims. 



52 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

Treatment. — When the premonitory symptoms appear, stop the 
horse, loose the collar, cover the eyes, and wet the head with cold water. 
Drawing a little blood from the mouth often relieves at once. Bromide of 
ammonia or potassa will be found useful as a preventive of further attacks, 
and should be given in doses composed of a half-teaspoonful of the salts 
in a half-pint of water one to three times a day. Stramonium is of the 
highest value when the symptoms are trembling, convulsions, rolling eyes, 
and sudden fall. Give once in two or three hours, according to the se- 
verity of the case. Aconite will immediately give relief if the disorder re- 
sults from fatigue in hot weather; but should the attack not abate readily,, 
it is probably of the nature of apoplexy, with like cause, and the section de- 
voted to that trouble should be consulted. Nux vomica may be given if 
the dung is hard and the urine scanty. It may also be given at night, 
followed in the morning by sulphur, the alternation being kept up as a 
preventive of recurrence of the attack. In this case give ten drops of either* 

The medicines selected should be continued, a dose a day, for at least a 
week after the attack. Avoid undue pressure on the veins by collars, 
bands, and tight reining; shade the top of the head when in the sun, keep- 
ing a sponge wet in cold water between the ears. If the animal is robust, 
o-ive an abundance of moderate work and restrict the feed. After an at- 
tack, turn the animal out for a while, and insure rest and quiet. 

CONCUSSION OF THE BRAIN. 

Concussion of the brain results from a violent blow or other mechan- 
ical agency on the head, and may lead to serious disorders. 

Treatment. — Apply arnica lotion freely, and give a dose of five 
drops of diluted arnica three times daily, or oftener if the severity of the 
case demands it. If inflammation ensues, treat as for Brain Fever. 

CEREBRO-SPINAL FEVER. 

The true causes of this disease are unknown, but it is probably due to 
various debilitating conditions, such as over-exertion, indigestible food, foul 
water, or sudden exposure to extreme heat. 

Symptoms. — Many of these are similar to those in man : Sudden 
cramps of the voluntary muscles of the neck and hind limbs, trembling of 
the whole body, and when the attacks come on slowly there is extreme 
dullness and lassitude for many hours, with paralysis of the throat and lips, 
causing a great flow of saliva. General paralysis follows these conditions, 
and eventually the animal is unable to stand , and lies prone upon its side 



THE HORSE THE NERVOUS SYSTEM. 53 

with lax and extended limbs. The usual symptoms of coma and stupor 
appear. Recovery may ensue in mild forms of this disease. A good, but not 
excessive appetite throughout is a favorable sign. The pulse, at first slow 
and soft, becomes weaker and more rapid in the latter stages; external 
temperature cool ; bowels costive, with involuntary voiding of urine with no 
change in its character. Often there is tenderness of the spine, which may 
be detected by pressure. 

Treatment. — In some cases little can be done in the way of treat- 
ment. Unless there is complete paralysis, the patient should be placed in 
as comfortable a position as possible, and be fed on laxative food, as bran- 
mashes and like articles, with cold water to drink. The spine may be 
rubbed with stimulating liniments, or alternate applications of hot water 
and ice. The limbs should be kept warm, and frequently given a hot 
mustard-bath. When the fever is high and the pulse rapid, veratrum 
viride, in three to five drop doses, should be given until the heart's action is 
controlled. If there be great coldness of the limbs and ears, quick pulse 
and hot mouth, aconite may be given in five to ten drop doses of the tinc- 
ture. Bromide of potassa in twenty-grain doses will be found useful in the 
early stages to allay the pain and quiet the animal. It may be given in 
alternation or with either of the above remedies. Should the horse be un- 
able to swallow, the medicine can be put on the tongue or injected in a 
watery solution under the skin. After the acute symptoms have subsided, 
mild tonics will be found useful; if paralysis supervene, treat that. 

NERVOUS FEVER. 

This is rare, and is caused by insufficiency of space allotted to the 
horse in his stable. In such case, the stable being closed during the night 
or during bad weather, the air becomes impure and produces the fever. 

Symptoms. — Shivering; cold legs and skin; no sweats; pulse from 70 
to ioo, small, thready, and growing very weak; respiration quick and 
short, about 60 per minute, with working of the wings of the nostrils; 
great weakness and dejection; increased flow of saliva; tongue and mem- 
branes of the mouth seem congested; difficult swallowing; glands not 
swollen; pain, as shown by an anxious eye; pawing; looking at the flanks; 
attempts to lie down, the horse immediately resuming the standing pos- 
ture, with the head on the ground or under the manger; urine scanty and 
high colored; bowels constipated, or pass a few soft balls covered with 
slimy mucus; at an early stage, wind in the stomach, with frequent belch- 
ing; pressure near the stomach gives pain; the action of the heart grows 
feeble, fluttering, and then silent, or hardly perceptible; breathing may be 



:he veterinary doctor. 

labored and deep; perhaps dysentery or diarrhoea; frequent passage of 
wind; straining; dung chiefly mucus, tinged with blood; in fatal cases the 
horse walks around, knocks his head against objects about him; lies down; 
tries to rise, but fails. The animal has pains in the abdomen, but does not 
roll and often rise as in colic. 

Treatment. — For the shivering, give aconite four times an hour, for 
one hour in five-drop doses, then lengthen the interval between doses. For 
the symptoms in general, give nux vomica every quarter or half-hour, ac- 
cording to the severity of the case. If the abdomen be not swollen and 
full of wind, give it once in two hours. If the swelling of the abdomen 
be great, and not relieved by nux vomioa, give ammonium causticum or 
cocculus as long as the distension lasts, the dose being ten drops in a wine- 
glassful of water every twenty minutes. Arsenicum will be found useful 
when there are scouring of the bowels and a low state of the system; give 
one-hundredth of a grain, or three to five drops of Fowler's Solution, 

MADNESS.— RABIES.— HYDROPHOBIA. 



This is never spontaneous with the horse, but is always occasioned 
by the virus of madness, usually received from an infected dog, whether 
the dog bites the horse or licks a wound, or the horse in some way swal- 
lows the saliva of the dog. When a dog is around the stable showing the 
symptoms of madness (see under Madness in the Dog), the matter de- 
mands immediate notice. 

Symptoms. — Though the MISAA, Wft'l'i 

disease usually appears in about 




Facial Expression in Hydrophobia. 



Violent Symptoms in Hydrophobia. 



three days after the infection from a dog, the horse should be guarded and 
treated for six "weeks, if the disorder do not sooner occur. At first, among 



THE HORSE THE NERVOUS SYSTEM. 55 

the symptoms, the upper lip quivers; head down; anxious and sad look; legs, 
ears and mouth cold; staring coat; loss of appetite; eyes closed, or have an 
inquiring look, or become suddenly fierce; shivering skin; eyes, jaws or 
limbs become convulsed. Then there occur great restlessness; violent con- 
vulsions; wandering eyes; dread of cold air; aversion to light; prominent 
sexual excitement in stallions and mares; tendency to bite any object; great 
thirst; violent snorting; grating of teeth; change of voice when neighing; 
foaming mouth, with phlegm discharged in strings; kicking; pawing; 
plunging, or flat prostration on the ground or floor, the legs and head 
dashing about; tearing of the flanks and fore legs; partial paralysis of hind 
parts; increased convulsions in death. Madness may be confounded with 
inflammation of the brain, but in the latter consciousness is lost, while it is 
not in the former. 

Treatment. — If the bite or infection be known at the time, wash 
the wound, if there be one, with cold water (into which it is better to put a 
few drops of belladonna), removing as much of the virus as possible. 
Then thoroughly cauterize the wound, as directed for Hydrophobia in the 
Dog, cover the bite with bandages saturated with water and belladonna, 
and continue the application as long as any traces of the wound remain. 
Give five drops of belladonna four times a day for six weeks. If a mad 
dog has been among a number of horses, even when it is uncertain 
whether he has bitten any, treat all with the belladonna, as directed, for ten 
days or two weeks. 

When the active symptoms have appeared, it is best to kill the horse at 
once, in view of the improbability of a cure and the danger to attendants. 



INSANITY. 

This is generally not distinguished from madness, but that it exists in 
horses as well as in man there is good reason to believe. 

Symptoms. — These are a perverted or depraved appetite; change in 
the affections and temper; viciousness. Many horses which suddenly be- 
come vicious and violent are affected with insanity, and not with obstinate, 
willfully bad temper. The horse may be permanently afflicted, when it is 
easy to distinguish the disorder from madness; or he may be onlv tempo- 
rarily insane, with an absence of some of the more special symptoms of 
madness, recovering after the cause (inflammation, abscess of the brain, 
thickening of the membranes of the brain, etc.,) has disappeared. 

Treatment. — Give belladonna when the disorder results from an 
affection of the brain, when the symptoms indicating this medicine, as 



56 



THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 



mentioned under belladonna in inflammation of the brain, occur. Give 
stramonium for the symptoms indicating belladonna, if the latter remedy 
fails. Hyoscyamus is beneficial for great excitability,* enlarged pupils, and 
sleeplessness. Put ten drops of the chosen remedy in a pint of water and 
give a wine-glassful once in from one to six hours, according to the severity 
of the case. Chloral hydrate or bromide of potassa will be found useful in 
violent cases, to produce quiet, twenty to forty grains at a dose. 

LOCK-TAW.— TETANUS. 



This is a general or partial contraction of the muscles. It is more 
common in old horses. The causes we divide, for convenience, into two 
classes: — (i) Exposure to cold after clipping; snow and cold winds; ex- 
cessive heat; severe weather of any kind; over-exertion; worms in the 
bowels; bots in the stomach; disordered digestion; inflammation of the 
stomach, bowels, lungs, or liver; advanced stages of stomach staggers (which 
see). (2) Wounds, especially those that are not inflammatory, such as 
result from clipping; docking; nicking; castration; cutting of abscesses; 
bruises; pricks in shoeing; open joints; broken knees; nails in the sole of 
the foot; dirt; rust, or points of instruments in wounds; galling of saddle 
or harness; severely crushed bones. Slight wounds and injuries most often 
lead to it because they are too much disregarded. Horses are rendered 
more liable to lock-jaw by low condition, cold weather, starvation, and 
other debilitating conditions. 

Symptoms. — Though these may occur within a half-hour, especially 
when the cause is found under (1) above, the effects may not come on, 

when resulting from a 
wound, until the wound 
is nearly healed. At 
first, the horse seems 
to be in good health, 
neighs when a person 
approaches, as if hun- 
gry; appetite usually 
good throughout; diffi- 
culty in taking food 
with the lips; champ- 
ing of jaws; grinding 
of teeth ; mouth closed, 
or so nearly so that the horse can not feed ; free discharge of saliva ; any 
excitement causing twitching of the muscles of the neck and face; perhaps 




Mode of Feeding in Chkonic Lock-Jaw. 



THE HORSE THE NERVOUS SYSTEM. 57 

colic and constipation. In later stages, the mouth is firmly shut, the muscles 
of the lower jaw being contracted and hard; head raised ; neck stiff and 
immovable; nose stuck out ; nostrils enlarged; breathing loud and quick ; 
pulse hard, frequent, and unyielding; eyes wide open, fixed, drawn back- 
ward into the socket, with the white drawn over the eyeballs; lips firmly 
drawn across the mouth, exposing the teeth, which are clenched or 
slightly parted; saliva drops from the mouth; ears erect, stiff and pointed 
forward; the look is distressed and frightened; as the disease progresses the 
head is fixed in one position; neck stiff on one or both sides, drawn to one 
side if that only be affected. The limbs are not usually involved at first, 
but later their muscles are hard and stiffened, the feet being placed wide 
apart, the horse standing fixed to one place; any movement causes great 
pain, all joints appearing inflexible; the upper muscles of the neck con- 
tract, producing "ewe-neck;" belly hard and tucked-up; tail elevated and 
trembling; the alimentary system is involved, causing costiveness and per- 
haps scanty urine; swallowing difficult, if the horse can indeed suck up 
liquid food. Any excitement exaggerates the symptoms. Lock-jaw mav 
not commence with spasm of the jaws. It often begins with contraction 
of the muscles of the hinder extremities and extends to the whole body, 
becoming severe, if not fatal, when it "locks " the jaws. 

Treatment. — In the early stages a cure may often be effected by 
giving a small piece of stale bread saturated with fifteen to twenty drops of 
tincture of camphor, followed by another dose in an hour, another two 
hours later, a fourth four Jiours later, or more frequently if the urgency of 
the case demands it. Arnica may be used instead of camphor for cases 
caused by mechanical injuries. Give aconite for early stages of cases re- 
sulting from exposure to cold. Nux vomica is the leading remedy and 
should be given when the spasms are first discovered; it is useful when 
lock-jaw results from disorders of the alimentary canal; for twitchings and 
jerks; increase of spasm by excitement; stiffness of muscles; head drawn 
upward and backward, and the bodv arched and bent rigidly backward. 
For symptoms indicating nux vomica, strychnia is invaluable, but must 
be given cautiously, alone, and never more than one-fifth of a grain at 
once, the usual dose being one-hundredth of a grain. Arnica may be ap- 
plied externally to wounds, pricks in shoeing, and sores from nails in the 
sole of the foot; in such cases it may be given internally as well, alternated 
with nux vomica. Gelseminum is very good for shivering, great distress 
and complete loss of muscular power. To relieve the spasm chloroform 
internally, in twenty drop doses, or by inhalation, will be of great service, 
inhalation being the more efficacious. Sulphuric ether may be used in the 
same manner as chloroform. If all other remedies prove ineffectual, 



58 the veterinary doctor. 

twenty drops of nitrate of amyl may be given by inhalation. Put it on a 
small towel and let it be slowly inhaled by the horse. It may be repeated 
in two or three hours if no perceptible effect has been produced. 

The slightest excitement will aggravate the distress. Loud noises, 
exposure to the sun's rays, angry words, the presence of spectators, and 
even the rustle of straw, are excitants. Hence, let the attendants be as few 
as is consistent with proper cai'e. Let the stall be comfortable and re- 
moved from annoyances, with but little light. Chop the bedding into short 
pieces, to allow free movement of the feet, changing it often; have plenty 
of dry clothing, using the amount required by the circumstances, and chang- 
ing frequently on account of the free sweats incident to the disorder. If a 
prick in shoeing or stepping on a nail be the cause of lock-jaw, remove the 
shoe, pare and rasp the foot thin ; remove all foreign substances from the 
wound; squeeze out the pus or watery matter; then make a poultice of 
bran soaked in sixteen fluid ounces of hot water, into which has been pre- 
viously put one ounce of tincture of arnica. Apply this to the wound two 
or three times a da)-. Such a poultice may also be put upon the spine. 
Tincture of lobelia, aconite or belladonna, may be used in place of the 
arnica. When a flesh wound has caused the disease, a warm arnica- wash 
may be applied to the wound, one ounce of tincture of arnica to sixteen 
ounces of hot water. Aconite or belladonna may be used instead of the 
arnica, if the symptoms indicate. Soak a sponge in this wash and bind it to 
the wound with linen strips, fixing the ends of the latter to the skin with 
glue or collodion, taking care that the lotion does not drain out of the 
sponge so as to moisten the glue on the ends of the strips. Do not try to 
force open the jaws that are firmly set. If food can not be taken naturally, 
and if suction be impossible, broth, milk, or rich gruel may be injected with 
a syringe into the bowels through the rectum. Frequent and careful rub- 
bing of the body is very useful for stimulating the action of the skin and 
reducing stiffness of the muscles. Back-raking with a well-greased arm 
and hand should be carefully applied, as it is very useful. 

STRINGHALT. 

This is a peculiar irregular and spasmodic action of the muscles, due 
to some nervous disorder that eludes accurate discovery, causing a singular 
movement of the hind legs; the fore legs are seldom affected. The hock 
is bent, and the leg is lifted high in locomotion, with a twitching or con- 
vulsive action in picking it up. It is not lameness, and diminishes or wholly 
disappears after the hoi"se has been in motion a while. It increases as the 
horse grows older, and in later years interferes seriously with traveling. 



THE HORSE THE NERVOUS SYSTEM. 



59 



Treatment. — This disease is by many deemed incurable, but it is 
not necessarily so. Give a teaspoonful of cimicifuga night and morning,, 
alternating with nux vomica. For constipation, twitching or jerking of 
the limbs or sets of muscles, impaired appetite, and other marks of disor- 
dered stomach, with irritable temper, give ten drops of nux vomica three 
times a day. A lotion of rhus or poison oak may be applied with benefit. 




CHAPTER III. 
THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. 

THE TEETH. 

HHE great importance of the teeth of the horse as an index of age 
|| calls for a special notice and copious illustration. Points in de- 
4L termining the age are the following: — There are two sets of teeth, 
the temporary or milk-teeth, and the permanent, the same number be- 
ing on each jaw. 

The temporary are twelve front teeth, or incisors, and twelve molars, or 
grinders. The ■permanent set has twelve incisors, twenty-four molars, and 
four canines or tushes in the male. At birth, or within about ten days 
afterward, the two central incisors are found, and about the same time three 
molars on each side of either jaw appear; at six months, four more middle 
incisors are seen; about the eighth month, two corner incisors on each jaw; 
at one year, there is the full temporary set. During the second year are 
cut two molars on either side of each jaw — eight in all — making twelve inci- 
sors and twenty molars, of which twenty-four are temporary and eight 
(molars) permanent. At two years and a half two permanent incisors 
displace the two temporary central ones, and arc distinguished by increased 
size and a dark mark in the center. Between three and four years the next 
incisors are displaced by permanent ones. Between four and five, the corner 
incisors ai - e likewise changed, and about this time the twelve temporary 
molars are replaced by permanent teeth, to which are added the remaining 
molars of the mare^s mouth. At about - four and a half, the four canines 
or tushes of the horse are seen and become fully grown at five. At six the 
central incisors of the loxver jaw lose the dark mark in the crown which 
appeared at about three, perhaps a little before. At seven, this mark dis- 
appears from the middle incisors, and at eight is worn from all of them. 
At ten, eleven and twelve, the mark disappears from the central, middle 
and corner incisors respectively of the upper jaxv. We thus have a fair 
index to the age. The teeth becoming longer, their edges triangular (tushes 
round and blunt), dishonest men attempt to practice various impositions, by 

60 




One Year. 




Two Years. 




Three Yeaks. 





Five Years. 




Six Years. 




Seven Years. 



62 




Another View at Seven. 




Eight Years. 




Nine Years. 




Ten Years. 




Eleven Years. 



63 




Twelve Years. 




Sixteen Years. 




Twenty Years. 




Twenty -Four Years. 




Extreme Age. 



64 



THE HORSE — THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. 



Go 



changing their appearance — "bishoping" the teeth. For instance, a three- 
year old may be made to appear older by drawing the teeth which would 
soon drop out, thus allowing a more rapid growth to the permanent teeth; 
or a cavity is cut into the surface of the corner teeth and darkened with 
a hot iron or other means, to make a horse look younger. 

COLIC. 

This should not be mistaken for inflammation of the bowels (enteritis), 
or for stomach staggers. The following table will aid one in distinguishing 
it from the former, as well as from other disorders. 



ENTERITIS. 

The attack comes on gradually ; restless- 
ness and fever-symptoms being present five 
or six hours before the violent symptoms. 

Pain continuous, with but slight intervals 
of comparative ease. 

Pressure on the abdomen gives pain. 



The pulse quick and full, or hard and 
thready ; as the disease advances, rising to 
double the number of beats, or even more. 



The extremities cold. 



The pain comes on suddenly, without 
any symptom, and is violent from the first. 



Pain comes on in paroxysms, with 
marked intervals of ease. 

Pressure or friction on the abdomen 
gives relief. 

The pulse not affected, except during the 
paroxysms of pain, or after the latter has 
continued sometime. It is thus variable; 
sometimes natural, at others small and 
feeble, then full and quick. 

The extremities warm. 



Colic is of two kinds, the spasmodic and the flatulent or windy, and the 
two kinds require separate description and treatment. 



SPASMODIC COLIC. 

This form is caused by impure air and irregular exercise, with dry, poor 
I food and insufficient water. It is aggravated or excited by sudden chills, 
chiefly after hard work; free drinking of cold or mineral water; constipa- 
tion; gritty lumps in the intestines; violent purging; green food in undue 
quantities. 

Symptoms of Spasmodic Colic. — Severe pains in the abdomen coming 

( on in paroxysms; the horse, in apparently previous good health, turns his 

J nose toward the flanks with a frightened look, paws, and is uneasy. As 

yet the pulse is natural ; an appearance of ease is now observed for a short 

period, then the symptoms return and are aggravated; the horse stamps 



THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 




First Ltag: 



f Spasmodic Colic. 



and kicks at his belly; starts to lie down, but again stands up; suddenly 
snatches up a leg and slowly lets it down again; walks around uneasily, 
occasionally dashing his head on some object; stops in the midst of mastica- 
tion, resuming the eating as usual during the temporary ease, shaking him- 
self at these times; draws 
the legs to the belly, or 
stretches them out rigidly ; 
sometimes rolls violently 
on the back; puffs at his 
belly ; if the attack is often 
repeated, he falls with a 
grunt, and stretches himself 
at full length, lying quietly 
until another spasm occurs, 
when he will rise or roll, 
resting his back against the 
wall; the pulse during the 
pains is hard or wiry, and 
small, but is full and soft during the periods of ease; as the disease advances 
the eye grows wild and haggard, the pulse imperceptible, the breathing 
short and hurried, the sweat clammy and cold; the horse dashes his head 
around until it becomes cut and swollen. When death is near, the bowels 
are constipated and the urine stopped. 

Treatment of the Spasmodic Form. — Give aconite (every ten 
minutes, gradually increasing the intervals to thirty minutes) when the 
colic results from chill, or 
drinking cold water when 
the horse is heated; for 
frequent but fruitless at- 
tempts to pass dung or 
urine; and when the ab- 
domen is tender, swollen 
and ru moling. Give nux 
vomica as often and at the 
same intervals as aconite, 
when the disorder is caused 
by over-eating or unsuit- 
able food; when there are 
constipation, hard lumps 
and no urine resulting from attempts at evacuation; and for great pain, 
indicated by the animal lying down, being restless, and frequently looking 




Second Stage of Spasmodic Colic. 



THE HORSE — THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. 



67 



at the side. Cantharis is serviceable for stoppage of urine; if it fails, give 
hyoscyamus. Opium is valuable for constipation when the dung is scanty 
and blackish, in which case injections of soapsuds should also be admin- 
istered. Nux vomica and opium may be alternated for obstinate constipa- 
tion which tends to keep up the pain of colic. 

A very superior remedy when the colic results from eating green food, 
when the belly is swollen with gas, and watery dung and wind are ex- 
pelled, and when the horse rolls violently in severe pain, is colocynth. It 
should be given in five-drop doses every half-hour until relief ensues. Ar- 
senicum should be given when there is much wind, and when the colic is 
occasioned by imperfect digestion, bad or excessive food, or drinking cold 
water Use injections of warm water and soap, as they are preferable to 
back-raking. Apply cloths wrung out in quite warm water in severe cases 
(See cut 133). Keep the horse in a loose stall, with an abundance of 
straw for him to roll on as he is inclined, confining him thus without 
exercise until the attack passes off. After the violent symptoms have sub- 
sided, give gentle exercise and soft food for a few days. 

Windy or Flatulent Colic. — This form arises from excessive or 
bad food, especially green clover; a hearty meal eaten greedily after hard 
work or a long journey; 
irregular exercise; or any- 
thing that promotes indi- 
gestion. 

T h e Sy 771 pto 77t s of 
\Vi71dy Colic are similar 
to those of the spasmodic, 
with the addition of fre- 
quent passage of wind, and 
a drum-like enlargement 
of the abdomen by gas. 

Treatment of the 
Flatulent Form. — Nux 
vomica, ammonium causti- 
cura, aconite, arsenicum and colocynth are valuable remedies. Cocculus is 
best for all cases of windy colic when it does not result from eating exces- 
sively, or the taking of green food. Rub the abdomen with the hand with 
considerable pressure, and give warm injections. Immediate relief will 
often follow a drench of a pint of dilute vinegar and a thimbleful of pow- 
dered chalk, well shaken and given quickly before it wastes by fermenta- 
tion. In other respects, observe the directions above on the general care 
in spasmodic colic. 



sss^^. 




First Stage of Flatulent Colic. 



G8 



THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 



INFLAMMATION OF THE BOWELS.— ENTERITIS. 



Inflammation of the muscular coat of" the intestines is caused by expos- 
ure to cold and wet; excessive exercise, with sudden chill; drinking cold 
water when heated; over-feeding; want of work; bad treatment or neglect 
of colic; strong purgatives; continued constipation; rupture in the intestines. 

Symptoms. — These are similar to those of colic, from which they 
should be studiously distinguished. (See the table of symptoms under 
Colic.) The pain is continuous, not paroxysmal; pulse hard and small, 
ranging from 60 to 100, and in extreme cases imperceptible or thready; 
mouth hot, and usually dry; nostrils expanded, red and hot; bowels very 
much bound; urine stopped; abdomen tender and tucked up; extremities 
cold; copious sweats, becoming cold and sour-smelling in latter stages; 
breathing quick and short; the horse paws; lies down and rises often; 
strikes his belly ; looks at his flanks as if in great pain ; as the pain increases, 
the horse drops, rolls, and lies on his back; these symptoms, after some 
hours, mav be followed by a subsidence of pain, the body being-still covered 
with a cold, clammy sweat; the eye becomes lusterless; the lips hang; the 
mouth is very cold ; tremor 
occurs in the muscles, par- 
ticularly, in the extremities. 
These symptoms indicate 
an inflammation of the outer 





General Sign op Abdomin'.l 
Irritation. 



Pressure to J>k.tect Enteritis. 



muscular coat. An inflamed inner coat will be marked, in addition to most 
of the above, by warm ears and extremities; discharge of liquid, frothy 
dung, sometimes bloody; feebler and quicker pulse; the taking of breath is 
short, and its expulsion checked and then completed with a groan. In 
extreme cases the horse totters, knocks his head on various objects, falls, 
and with a few struggles dies. 

Treatment. — Treatment should be given as soon as possible, and 
since the disease is most likely dependent upon some derangement of the 
mucous surface and the cellular tissue under it, it should not be entirely 



THE HORSE THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. K)\) 

local, but general as well. Aconite is by far the best remedy, and if 
administered in the early stages, will usually effect a cure. It should be 
. continued as long as the pulse remains hard, and the pain severe. After 
giving several doses fifteen minutes apart, it should be administered every 
half-hour, or in alternation with another remedy if the pulse continues 
hard and quick. If the constipation is inflexible, give mix vomica, fol- 
lowed in fifteen minutes by aconite, and continuing the alternation in this 
manner. Give belladonna, not in the Jirst stages, -a* a remedy interme- 
diate between aconite and arsenicum, when the pulse becomes feeble or 
thread-like; the eye red and wild-looking; the animal delirious; prostra- 
tion; mouth and body yet warm; belly swollen and tender; great pain. 
Arsenicum should be given when the inflammation has resulted from cold,, 
■drink taken when the body is warm, or from irregularity of feeding; also, 
if there be rapid prostration, restlessness, cold and clammy sweats, hur- 
ried and weak puise. Colocvnth is desirable, perhaps in alternation with 
aconite, when the large intestines are mainly affected, and there is wind in 
the belly, with ineffectual attempts to pass dung. If there be great thirst, 
tender belly, prostration, 
shivering, perspiration, 
watery, offensive dung, 
passed with straining, some- 
times slimv and bloody, m.er- 
curius corrosivus will be 
found an efficient remedv. 
Apply to the abdomen cloths 
wrung out of water as hot 
as the horse will be;tr, with- 
out scaldinp- or blisterincr. 
Warm injections of starch 
will be of assistance. Ap- 
ply to the legs mustard to 

restore circulation. Never resort to bleeding. Give gruel freely. An 
antidote must be given in cases resulting from poisoning. Since the 
nature of the poison cannot always be known, it is well to use Cam- 
phor as the best general antidote in enteritis. Remember, however, 
that emetics are not to be given to the horse. Give mild food until all 
irritation has subsided. 

DIARRHOEA.— SCOURING. 




Application of Hot Cloths. 



This is a looseness of the bowels caused by unwholesome food, min- 
eral or brackish water, strong cathartics, atmospheric agencies, derange- 



76 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR^ 

ment of the blood, congested lining membrane of the intestines, nervous- 
excitement, worms, derangement of some organ, as the stomach or liver;., 
influenza or other disease. 

Symptoms. — Frequent passages of dreggy or watery dung, without 
the blood which is common in dysentery, with or without griping; some- 
times straining and discharge of wind; pawing, rolling and looking at the 
flank; discharges occasionally black and very offensive, but usually not 
offensive, and containing small pieces of hay; appetite lessened or lost;: 
pulse quick, weak and irregular, and breathing hurried, though neither is 
much affected in early stages; straining increases with the advance of the 
disease, with more wind passing. In severe cases there will be offensive 
breath, cold skin and extremities, and rapid decline of flesh and strength. 

Treatment. — When diarrhoea results from taking cold, or when 
congestion of the mucous membrane is supposed to exist, aconite will allay 
the inflammation. This remedy may be given in connection with mercu- 
rius if the discharges are slimy and offensive, and the breath is foul. Some- 
times the disorder follows constipation, and the discharges will then first 
be composed of dry, hard balls, then loose, and thus alternating. In such 
a condition nux vomica will be invaluable. In painless diarrhoea, with 
watery discharges, cold skin and shivering, give half-teaspoonful doses of 
tincture of camphor every hour until relief is afforded. Give arsenicum or 
phosphoric acid for watery, slimy, greenish or bi'ownish diarrhoea, with or 
without griping pains; also when the animal is weak, thin, with poor or no 
appetite; and for diarrhoea in fevers of a typhoid nature. Cinchona is very 
useful in cases induced by hot weather, and not of an inflammatory char- 
acter; for chronic cases, with painless discharges, loss of flesh, appetite and 
strength; for intermittent cases, and as a tonic after the acute symptoms 
have disappeared. Give veratrum album when the discharges are alto- 
gether watery and involuntary, the pulse collapsed or almost imperceptible, 
the nose, mouth and ears cold, parts of the body moistened with cold 
sweat, the expression haggard; thirst, and occasional griping pains; admin- 
ister it every quarter of an hour at first and increase the intervals as the 
diarrhoea declines. Use mercurius corrosivus every half-hour when the 
dung is mixed with blood, or is merely mucus with wind and straining. 
If there is much pain, administer colocynth. Large draughts of linseed or 
olive oil will clear the bowels of any irritating substance, and they should 
be followed by starchy and mucilaginous drinks. Astringents and opiates 
should be given with caution, and never when there are any irritating sub- 
stances in the bowels. Give three or four times a day three table-spoonfuls 
of flour paste in a quart of water, or more water if the horse is thirsty,, 
especially if the disorder has resulted from an overdose of physic; clothe 



THE HORSE THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. 71 

the body and legs warmly; omit all exercise for two or three days, and 
when the appetite returns feed boiled oats or barley. 

DYSENTERY.— BLOODY FLUX. 

Inflammation of the membrane lining the large intestines occasions 
an unusual secretion of mucus, usually tinged with blood, attended with 
straining, and this is called dysentery, or bloody flux. A fever of a low 
typhoid nature may cause it, or extreme heat, or indeed anything that de- 
presses the nervous system may be the cause, as well as exposure to cold 
and wet, sudden chill, diseases of the skin and breathing organs, bad, exces- 
sive, or insufficient food, low, marshy grazing, oppressive, dry, sultry 
weather long continued, and it may result from diarrhoea. It is not com- 
mon among horses, except in the chronic form. 

Symptoms. — These are in some i*espects like those in diarrhoea, but it 
will be observed that the disease under question is marked by a mixture of 
blood and mucus in the dung; pulse small and quick; great thirst; quick- 
ened breathing; at first, shivering and fever-indications; appetite gone; 
slight griping; frequent straining; pain in belly; end of rectum some- 
times protrudes in straining; loss of spirits. When the discharges are oc- 
casional, following marked constipation, and consist of a small hard ball or 
two, with wind and much straining, the disease is' true dysentery; when 
they are dreggy, it is called diarrhoea, the discharge not being attended 
with straining. 

Treatment. — Dysentery is often the result of clogging or impaction 
of the bowels, giving rise to inflammation, and in such cases this cause is 
to be removed by giving large draughts of olive or linseed oil, together 
with full injections of starch-water. When this has been effected, and the 
disorder is still accompanied with severe straining, protrusion of the rectum, 
discharges of blood, or of slimy, bloody mucus, with hardened dung, or 
with discharges nearly black and mixed with tough lymph, and frequent 
and straining attempts to pass urine, mercurius corrosivus will be invalu- 
able. Give nux vomica if the dysentery is attended with constipation at 
times, with frequent passage of one or two hard balls, straining and un- 
successful efforts to pass urine and wind. Phosphoric acid is very service- 
able for dysenteric diarrhoea, with fevers of a typhoid character. Give 
arsenicum if the dung is liquid, passed nearly involuntarily, bloody, offen- 
sive, and greenish, or nearly black; rumbling and windv bowels; loss of 
appetite, strength and flesh; skin and extremities cold; straining and pas- 
sages of wind; for debility resulting from bleeding, purging, and such dis- 
eases as typhoid fever. As food give mashes of bran, crushed wheat or 



72 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

barley, or of roots. Boiled linseed, starch-water or barley-water should 
be mixed with the drink to allay pain and irritation. 

CONSTIPATION.— COSTIVENESS. 

This is a stoppage of the bowels, usually affecting the rectum. It is, 
properly speaking, a symptom of some disorder, but as its neglect may 
lead to inflammation of the bowels, it is here separately treated. It is 
caused, in addition to different specific disorders, by old age, inability to 
pass the dung which is in the rectum at birth, indigestible food, such as old, 
rough grass which clogs the rectum, deficiency of water, insufficient exer- 
cise, imperfect mastication, lack of digestive fluids, as the saliva and bile. 

Symptoms. — Impaired appetite, indications of pain in the abdomen, 
straining efforts to empty the bowels, hardened dung, restlessness and 
irritability. 

Treatment. — Nux vomica and sulphur will almost always afford re- 
lief, a dose of the former being given at night and one of the. latter in the 
morning. Give regular exercise, boiled food, less oats for a while, and in- 
jections of warm soap-suds. Back-i-aking is dangerous. The bowels are 
sometimes obstructed by the lower part of the small intestine slipping 
down into the upper end of the larger one (invagination), and in such a 
case powerful cathartics are extremely dangerous, and indeed should never 
be used. If free injections will not relieve this latter condition, the abdo- 
men may be opened by skillful hands, though it is a hazardous operation. 
Relief is sometimes afforded by jumping from a bank about two feet high. 
Manipulating, by the hand in the rectum, has produced good results. 

INFLAMMATION OF THE STOMACH.— GASTRITIS. 

This is of two kinds, which, for the sake of convenience, we will call 
special and general. The distinction should be carefully made, as the 
treatment of the one differs from that of the other. 

THE SPECIAL FORM. 

This is caused by some vegetable or mineral poison or animal irritant 
taken into the stomach, especiallv by too much aloes, oil of turpentine, cor- 
rosive sublimate, arsenic, lead, copper, antimony, ammonia, cantharides, 
oxalic, nitric and sulphuric acids. 

Symptoms. — Quick pulse (80 per minute), steady, small, perhaps im- 
perceptible; thirst usually great ; partial sweats; cold extremities; saliva 



THE HORSE THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. 



73 



flows from the mouth; indications of dysentery, such as straining and 
passage of bloody mucus; weakness; perhaps paralysis; increasing pain in 
later stages; in cases of vegetable poisoning, stupor and great drowsiness, 
enlarged pupils, paralysis, snoring, breathing; in mineral poisoning and 
animal irritants, nausea, pains 
in belly, horse looks at his 
left flank, paws and rolls. 
In all extreme cases the 
horse dashes against the 
walls, or throws himself 
upon the ground, becoming 
delirious, and dies. 

Treatment. — In all 
cases the poison must be re- 
moved, or neutralized by 
antidotes. For metallic poi- 
sons, as arsenic, corrosive 
sublimate, verdigris, lead, 

copper, etc., give white of egg in water, soap-suds, or sugar and water, 
adding iron-rust for arsenic; for lead, give Glauber's or Epsom salts. For 
acids, as sulphuric, prussic, nitric, etc., give &oda, chalk and water, am- 
monia, or magnesia. For alkalies, such as ammonia, salt of tartar, etc., 
give lemon juice and other acids. For any case, give linseed-tea, starch- 
water, or arrowroot. Injections are serviceable. Generally give mild 
food, and in small quantities, during treatment and some time thereafter. 




Symptom of Acute Gastritis. 



THE GENERAL FORM. 



This type is caused by a subtle poison in the air, acting on the brain 
of such animals as are predisposed to disease by general debilitating agen- 
cies, and especially by impure air from improper ventilation, the latter be- 
ing an independent cause; by the coating process attended with some chill 
or nerve-disorder or fever. All of these operate on the nerves of the 
stomach and neighboring organs, producing inflammation. 

Symptojfis. — Pulse sixty to eighty per minute, small and weak, though 
soft and full at the beginning; foul and slimy tongue; saliva increased; 
appetite wholly lost from the commencement; limbs swollen and hot, or 
cold and not swollen; great weakness, the horse walking with legs wide 
apart, or dragging them; membrane of the mouth deep red, yellow, or of 
a brick-dust shade; eyes nearly closed, water penetrating the lids; some- 
times a mucous pus instead of tears; the coat may be dry and loose, com- 



74 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

ing off easily when touched, and standing up when eruptions occur, which ■ 
is not unfrequently the case; no sore throat and no discharge yet, as in. 
catarrhal troubles. The disease advancing, cough or sore throat may be- 
added, or the lungs become disordered, with other complications; dung 
clay-colored or black, passed in small balls covered with mucus, or it may 
pass in small quantities, frequently soft and slimy; horse usually stands 
stupid and resting his head on the manger, indicating headache; if he lies 
down, he stretches out, occasionally turning the mouth, with curled lip, . 
toward the stomach, giving evidence of nausea; sometimes marked rest- 
lessness, pawing, and walking about; the point and sides of the tongue 
very red, the middle being a dirty white; mucus-glands on each side 
much enlarged; sometimes the lining of the cheeks and lips is of a saf- 
fron color, with scarlet blotches on the gums, and red streaks on the mem- 
brane of the nose, though without sore throat; in other cases, ulceration of 
the inside of the lips and the gums, with a craving for lime, the horse lick- 
ing whitewash if it is in reach; teeth covered with yellow tartar, which 
disappears when the stomach-disorder passes off; the animal drinks water • 
freely, and will take gruel; sometimes, grinding of teeth; heart often 
affected, its beats being loud and irregular; in very bad cases, inflammation, 
of the lymphatics on the legs and chest. In either form, inflammation of 
the stomach is characterized by much pain. 

Treatment. — When the symptoms are loss of appetite and spirits, . 
with rapid loss of strength, tongue red at its sides, with eruptions, mouth . 
slimy, its lining membrane yellow, or with scarlet blotches, dung hard 
and slimv, or soft, passing frequently only a little at a time, covered with 
mucus, with or without indications of pain and restlessness, fever of a 
weak type, the pulse being quick and small, no abnormal sound in the 
thorax, give nux vomica. In cases with greatly increased saliva, offen- 
sive breath, and ulceration or congestion of the gums, give mercurius cor- 
rosivus. If the fever become typhoid, breath, dung, and secretions offen- 
sive, pulse imperceptible, and legs dropsical, give arsenicum every two 
hours. Give only gruel and mucilaginous drinks for the diet and drink. . 

INFLAMMATION OF THE LIVER. 

Inflammation of the liver, a disease that is not frequent in horses, 
results from excess of food, especially of that which is very stimulating; . 
want of exercise; hot stables; exposure to sudden changes of temperature ; . 
or may result from other diseases, as influenza and inflammation of the 
lungs; a heavy fall on ihe side may cause it; as also miasmatic influences . 
and ague. It is of two kinds, acute (which seldom occurs) and chronic. 



THE HORSE — THE DIGESTIVE' SYSTEM. 75 

Symptoms. — la the chronic form the symptoms are dullness; listless- 
ness; fever; pulse hard, frequent, irregular both in number and character,, 
occasionally slow, sometimes fuller than usual; breathing almost wholly in. 
the abdomen; mucous membrane joining the eyelid to the ball tinged 
with yellow; appetite bad; coat staring; mouth foul; tongue furred and 
dirty; dung hard, lumpy, light-colored, sometimes white or clayey, offen- 
sive and coated with mucus; pain in right shoulder, with lameness in right 
leg; sometimes dropsy or diarrhoea; itchy skin; mucous membrane in gen- 
eral yellowish; breathing usually little affected, though fits of blowing 
occur, with hollow cough; glands about the throat sometimes enlarged 5 
rapid decline of condition; occasionally dropsy of the belly; congestion 
may be present, gradually continuing, with no marked change in general 
health of the horse, until the liver bursts and causes death; inflammation 
may set in and cause swelling in the region of the liver, with quick, hard, 
and small pulse. 

In acute inflammation the horse perhaps coughs occasionally; hangs 
the head; drooping eyes; loathing of food; internal pain, not severe; 
passages of dung small and dark; urine scanty; mouth hot; fever; later, 
mucous membrane of the eyes, nose, lips and mouth yellowish; urine 
yellow; pulse strong, quick and bounding; perhaps the horse staggers. 

Treatment. — Give aconite for high fever; hot skin; thirst; furred 
tongue; restlessness; tenderness in the region of the liver, detected by the 
touch. In acute cases, give ten drops every one or two hours until the 
symptoms abate. If there be yellow coating of the tongue, yellowish 
membranes of the eyes, knotty and clayey dung, give mercurius, alone or 
in combination with podophyllin. Nux vomica is suitable for great ten- 
derness in the region of the liver; thirst;, costiveness; high-colored urine.. 
This may be given in alternation with mercurius. If the disease progresses 
and is attended with offensive, blackish diarrhoea, weak, small and irregular 
pulse, cold extremities and great weakness, give arsenicum; this remedy is 
also efficacious when, in chronic inflammation of the liver, that organ has 
become enlarged, and the urine is scanty, and is adapted to dropsy of the 
belly, and to cases which arise from other disorders. The diet should in 
all cases be mild and not stimulating, such in general as is given for inflam- 
mation of the bowels. Tonics may be administered to sustain the strength,, 
as taraxacum, cinchona and Colombo, during the above treatment. 

PERITONITIS. 

This is an inflammation of the lining of the abdomen and of the 
membrane which covers the outside of the bowels. From inflammation of 



76 



THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 



the bowels it is distinguished by greater tenderness in the back part of the 
belly, and greater swelling; while it is unlike colic in that its pain is con- 
stant and is attended with acute fever. It is caused by wounds and injuries 
to the abdomen; exposure to cold; over-exertion, as in running and leaping; 
castration, a cold setting in afterward. It is very dangerous. 

Symptoms. — Shivering, followed by fever and inactivity or uneasiness; 
loss of appetite; thirst; breathing short, and mainly confined to the chest; 
pulse hard, quick or wiry at first, becoming thready later; the disease grow- 
ing worse, the horse paws and looks at his side; stands with legs under his 

body, with haunches against 

^,_. _ ^=s ^^^^^||iii|||r?\ — i something, or. crouches; 

\ ;; - - |n V^ ^_ motion causes more pain; 

abdomen tender, and in first 
stages tucked up, but after- 
ward grows swollen or con- 
tains wind; nostrils wide; 
anxious look; the animal 
does not lie down and arise 
often, as in colic; urine 
scanty and high-colored. In 
later stages pulse very weak ; 
cold, clammy sweats; mouth 
and extremities cold; tremb- 
ling of muscles; the horse stands moodily in one position, finally dropping 
and dying. Peritonitis may pass from the acute to the chronic form, and 
the latter may terminate in dropsy. 

Treatment. — During the inflammatory stage give aconite if there 
is high fever; and if there is a bloody discharge from the bladder, alter- 
nate it with cantharis. If there be great swelling and tenderness of the 
belly, with pain and quick, short breath, give belladonna. If the disease 
progresses, and is marked by great loss of strength and a dropsical condi- 
tion, arsenicum will be of value, and five-drop doses of Fowler's Solution 
jvill be a suitable form for its administration. In cases attended with great 
swelling of the sheath, scanty urine, painful and hurried breathing, bryonia 
will be of value. Rub dry mustard on the abdomen and apply large cloths 
wrung out in hot water to the belly, holding them in place with blankets 
;and girths, changing them every hour in extreme cases. All treat- 
ment should be applied at the earliest stage possible. During recov- 
ery be very careful about the diet, giving first linseed tea and well- 
boiled gruels of oat, barley or rye meal, following gradually with soft, 
\warm mashes before the ordinary food is allowed. 







Frequent Position during Peritonitis and Other 
Abdominal Disorders. 



THE HORSE — THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. 77 

PILES. 

Piles are small tumors in the muscles forming the circumference of the 
anus, caused by swelling and enlargement of the veins, and are the result 
of constipation, unwise use of cathartics, heating food, insufficient work, and 
an obstruction of circulation which often arises from derangement of the liver. 

Symptoms. — Small, soft tumors at the outer extremity of the rectum, 
sometimes bleeding in efforts to pass dung; straining; occasionally protru- 
sion of the outer end of the rectum; sometimes constipation; symptoms of 
liver derangement; perhaps matter in the rectum. 

Treatment. — The bowels should be kept free, though not loose, and 
if there is a relaxed, paralytic condition of the rectum, accompanied by 
obstinate constipation, nux vomica will be found valuable, a dose being 
given night and morning. If the bowel protrudes, give podophyllin in 
small doses. Should there be much bleeding or inflammation, apply extract 
of hamamelis and inject a solution of equal parts of the same and water 
into the bowel. If the bowel protrudes and is swollen and very much 
inflamed, apply hot fomentations, and carefully return it after oiling well.. 
An excellent application will be found in the ointment here given: 

Stramonium ointment, 3 ounces. 

Pulverized nut-galls, 1 drachm. 

Morphia sulphate, 10 grains. 
Mix. Apply warm, passing some into the bowel. 

CONCRETIONS. 

These are balls, usually in the large intestine, composed wholly of im- 
perfectly digested food mixed with mucous matter; or made by some hard 
substance which has been swallowed and acts as a nucleus in the stomach 
for the collection of undigested food. They vary much in size and obstruct 
the bowels. 

Svmpto?ns. — Usually no inconvenience is shown, the balls passing out 
when small; when they become large, great constipation. 

Treatment. — If the presence of the balls is certainly known when 
they are small, a purge will remove them. Usually, however, this is not 
known until the balls have become so large as to stop the bowels. In this 
case treatment is of little avail, and the use of purgatives is very dangerous, 
injections of soap and warm water may assist in the removal, as will also 
drenches of olive or linseed oil. To allay the pain, treat as directed for the 
spasmodic form of Colic, page 67. 



78 'TUB VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

RUPTURE. 

This is a protrusion oif a portion of some part of the intestine, or of the 
■membrane attached to the stomach and lying next to the front part of the 
intestines, through a natural or artificial opening into some cavity. It is 
caused by drawing heavy loads, kicking, rearing, running, straining induced 
by colic, injuries resulting from a blow or kick, or hereditary tendency. 

Symptoms and Treatment. — When a soft tumor is found at the 
navel, consisting of a sac that is elastic or inelastic, according as it contains 
respectively intestine or the membrane mentioned above, bad effects seldom 
result, the horse recovering as he grows older. Should this increase in size, 
and be attended with colic, a surgical operation is required at the hands of 
a skillful practitioner. If there be a fluctuating tumor or sac in the belly, 
containing a portion of intestine, which can generally be pushed back into 
the abdomen, a cure may often be effected by so pushing back the intestine 
and applying a bandage carefully and securely, if this be done at first. 
Since this kind of rupture seldom does harm, excepting as it disfigures the 
horse, it is usually best to omit an operation. Sometimes, when the treat- 
ment just named will. not effect a cure, the intestine may be pushed up, and 
-a strong band put around the neck of the sac which contained it, and left 
thus until it drops off, which will be in three or four weeks; or the band 
mav be replaced with another after the first week. In either case, wooden 
•clamps must be tightly placed over the skin forming the sac. If it 
be found that the aperture through which the protrusion has taken place 
has contracted so that the intestine cannot be pushed back, a skillful practi- 
tioner may perform an operation. 

When the rupture is in the groin, the symptoms will be alternate as- 
cent and descent of the testicle on the side affected, with a final ascent; cold 
sweats; constant colic, the horse often looking at the flank; perhaps attempts 
to vomit. In this case, the hand may be passed up the rectum and the in- 
testine liberated from its confinement, though this is better done by a sur- 
geon. When the intestine descends into the sac containing the testicles, it 
will disappear during rest, but reappear with exercise. Then the tumor 
grows larger gradually, and the aperture closes in, preventing the ascent of 
the intestine; there are dullness and indisposition to move; loathing of food; 
colic; constipation; rumbling of wind; in extreme cases, gangrene; cold 
sweats ; shivering, and death. This form of rupture may not injure .a horse's 
usefulness, and should be treated only by successful practitioners, if at all. 

Owing to the liability to " constriction" and consequent inflammation 
and even gangrene, attention should be given to any case of rupture as soon 
as it is known to exist or is suspected. 



THE HORSE THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. 

INTESTINAL WORMS. 



79 



Several species of worms are found in the intestines of the horse, among 
•which may be named (i) the long white worm, from six to twelve inches 
long, resembling the common earth-worm; (2) the slender one, from two to 
foui" inches long; (3) the small, active, needle-like worm, found in great 
numbers in the large intestines and rectum, causing great irritation, and be- 
ing darker than those named above; (4) the tape-worm, white and jointed 
into regular sections; (5) the long threadworm. Two views are held re- 
garding the cause of worms. One is that they are injurious in themselves 
and wholly foreign to the animal's 
constitution. The other is that they 
are due to a derangement of the mu- 
cous membrane and its secretions, 
:favorable to the growth of their 





Rubbing the Nose during the 
Presence of Worms. 



Picking the Hair when Worms are 
Present. 



germs. In support of the latter view it has been remarked that worms are. 
seldom found in healthy horses, or at least not in large numbers, while in 
horses delicate or poorly f.d they exist in great numbers. 

Symptoms. — Appetite at one time poor or wholly lost; at another vora- 
cious; low spirits; coat loses its gloss; the horse is hide-bound, licks the wall 
and cats dirt; dry, yellow or white matter about the anus, with itching, caus- 
ing the animal to rub his tail or switch it about; dung often covered witb 
mucus; worms in the dung are the unmistakable symptom. 

Treatment. — Give salt in the food, and liquor arsenical is, thirty drops 
three times a day. Or give one-fifth of a grain of arsenic night and morn- 
ing in a little bran-mash; if it fails to effect a cure after two or three weeks, 
give five grains of sulphate of iron night and morning. In place of either 
•of these courses, it may be well to give two powdered Croton beans in a 
handful of bran-mash, and a half-pint of linseed oil every morning. This 
foas often been effectual. The Croton beans are also highly recommended 



80 



the; veterinary doctor. 



for expelling the worms, previous to the administration of the arsenic or 
sulphate of iron. For tape-worm, if its presence is known, felix mas has- 
been deemed the best remedy, a half ounce of the decoction of the male fern- 
being given early in the morning and late at night. 



BOTS. 

These are often found in large numbers in the horse's stomach, to the coat 
of which they attach themselves firmly by two strong hooks. They appear to 
feed on the mucus of the stomach. A gadfly deposits eggs on some part of 
the body, which after a while produce itching, when the horse gnaws at 
them and so swallows them; or they may fall from the hair of the throat 
and breast into the feed. At this stage the larvae are very small, but in the 
stomach gi-ow to the size of a 
small grub, when they let go, and, 
passing away in the dung, turn to 
a chrysalis, and finally to the gad- 
fly. It is a disputed question 
whether bots do injury to the horse 
when they remain upon the coat 
of the stomach, some even claim- 
ing that they are in these cases a 
benefit. If however they pass 
into the intestines and attack the 
sensitive tissues, their ravages are 
very alarming, pi'oducing colicky 
pains and other evidences of in- 
testinal disorder. They may certainly be nearly if not quite harmless in a. 
horse in ordinary health. 

Symfitojns. — The symptoms which call for treatment are agony of the 
horse, with inclinations to violent colicky attacks; general symptoms of 
indigestion or colic. 

Treatment. — Give mix vomica for the colicky pains and ensuing indi- 
gestion. The appearance of the bots in the dung, though an unmistakable 
evidence of their presence in the horse, does not call for treatment; indeed, 
this is the best evidence that none is needed and that they are passing off in 
a natural way. When there is great agony, with colic-attacks, pour down 
the horse's throat a half-gallon or more of warm milk, or, still better, fresh 
warm blood. This is rich food and the bots leave the tissues to feed upon 
it. As soon as the agony is relieved, give a pint or even a quart of linseed 
or olive oil, which will bring away the liquid and the bots. It is useless to- 




Bots in the Stomach. 



THE HORSE- THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEMo 81 

try to kill the matured bots in the stomach, as they will resist the most 
"heroic" remedies. Aleans of prevention are the shaving off of the long 
hairs on the fore legs, throat, breast, or other parts where the eggs are de- 
posited so as to find their way to the mouth. Such parts may also be oiled. 
The proper use of cloths and branches fastened on these parts will prevent 
the depositing of the eggs. Tf any eggs are seen on the animal, they can be 
wasned or rubbed oil, thus keeping them out of the mouth. 

LOSS OF APPETITE. 

Loss of appetite often results from long-continued feeding on h y and 
oats, without change; from too much feeding; from insufficient or irregular 
work; from bad food and bad water; from a dirty stall: or it may be a 
symptom of some disease whose cure is the remedy for the lost appetite. 

Symptoms. — Nothing may be observable but an indisposition to eat for 
a long time, the horse tossing his food around; the mouth may be hot, tongue 
red, breath dry and offensive; sticky mucus in the mouth. 

Treatment. — Nux vomica four times daily is usually sufficient. If 
the mouth, tongue and breath be affected, use mercurius. For disordered 
stomach, marked by hot mouth, red tongue and offensive breath, together 
with lost appetite and diarrhoea, give arsenicum. A simple change of the 
food to mashes and roots will often restore the tone of the stomach and im- 
prove the appetite. When this fails and there is no such impediment to eat- 
ing as too long teeth or sore tongue, particularly if the horse is listless and 
the coat staring, one of the condition powders mentioned in the Materia 
Medica may be used. Give moderate exercise in the open air. 

INDIGESTION.— DYSPEPSIA. 

Acute dyspepsia or indigestion is caused by excessive feeding; rich 
food; hasty eating; copious drinks after meals; hot food; irritating plants. 
The chronic form, results from insufficient or irregular work; badlv-cured 
forage; a long continuance of the same kind of food without change; irregu- 
larity in times and quantity of feeding; rapid eating just before work; im- 
perfect mastication; badly- ventilated stables; improper treatment of some 
disease, as by too large doses of calomel or tartar emetic. 

Symptoms. — Tongue foul and coated; mouth slimy; changeable or 
corrupted appetite; unhealthy coat; sometimes ravenous eating, dirty litter 
and even dung being consumed; perhaps licking tbe whitewash on walls 
and manger, ending often in wind-sucking or crib-biting; or the appetite 
may be wholly lost; rapid loss of flesh," abdomen full or tucked up; wck- 



82 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

ness; easy sweats; dung black and hard, or offensive and soft; urine thick, 
white, or high-colored; most of the grain is passed whole; frequently a 
short, hacking and irritating cough. 

When there is a capricious or vile appetite, with hard, dry cough, there 
is derangement of the nerves of the lungs and stomach (pneumogastric 
nerve). The capricious or ravenous appetite, with the dung passed in hard, 
.small, black or clay-colored balls, being slimy and offensive, the mucous 
membranes being of a yellow tinge, indicates gastric derangement; in which 
case slight pains in the abdomen are felt, skin variable in temperature, ex- 
tremities cold and hot alternately, urine generally scanty and high-colored, 
though it may be paler than usual. If the horse becomes "pot-bellied" or 
dropsical, or loses flesh rapidly, or has dropsical swellings on different parts, 
the bowels being alternately loose and constipated, the symptoms show de- 
rangement and enlargement of the glands in the folds of the intestines. 
Imperfect mastication is followed by hay rejected from the mouth partially 
chewed, grain passing whole, the animal being in a low condition and 
hide-bound, and these symptoms demand an examination of the teeth with 
a balling-iron. 

Treatment. — -Nux vomica is especially demanded by capricious or 
depraved appetite, and is preferable to mercurial preparations when this 
appetite results from disease of the liver. Nux vomica is also needed when 
food passes undigested, or when the dung is hard, lumpy, or glazed with 
mucus; tongue slimy and furred; three to five drops of the tincture three 
or four times a day being suitable doses. Arsenicum is required in cases 
of long standing, with much weakness and loss of flesh, little appetite, fre- 
quent coughing after eating and drinking, dung soft, purging during work, 
skin scurfy and hide-bound. This drug in the form of iodide of arsenic is 
particularly valuable in cases induced by enlargement of the intestinal 
glands, with dropsical swellings of the chest, belly or legs. Antimonium 
crudum is superior for windy stomach, with pains, rough coat, thirst, and 
offensive dung, or when dreggy lumps are passed, and also for aversion to 
food. Ipecac is useful for nearly all forms of indigestion. Phosphorus or 
phosphoric acid is very useful for narrow-chested horses with consumptive 
tendency, and what is improperly called a " stomach cough " (really caused 
by irritation of the pneumogastric nerve), as it removes the cough and 
checks the diarrhoea. A few doses of cinchona, followed by one or two 
of nux vomica, are desirable for horses weakened by shedding the coat, 
which has induced indigestion and capricious appetite. Mercurius is desir- 
able when both liver and stomach are deranged, the skin and eyes being 
yellowish. In chronic cases of indigestion marked by the general symp- 
toms which indicate nux vomica, a dose of sulphur may be profitably given 



THE HORSE THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. 83 

every morning, with nux vomica at night. For liquid and offensive dung 
and total loss of appetite, give pulsatilla. Ten to twenty grains of bismuth 
or sulphate of soda night and morning will he serviceable. 

In the way of general care, ascertain the cause of indigestion and re- 
move it if possible. For example, if the teeth are uneven or long, rasp 
them; if the food be bad, change it; give a variety of green food if dry 
grain has been fed; give oats only when crushed; feed often, but little at a 
time. When exercise has been long neglected, give regular and moderate 
walking, avoiding quick work soon after feeding, and hard work altogether 
for a time. If the animal bolts the food at the beginning of the meal, give him 
a little hay to partially appease hunger, then follow with the oats, meal, 
bran, or whatever is to be given. Proper food and exercise are the essentials. 

CRIB-BITING AND WIND-SUCKING. 

These are caused by a disordered stomach, or they may be acquired by 
imitation; hence animals given to the practices should be separated from 
others, lest they afford a pernicious example. They reduce the condition 
of the horse and induce colic. After long indulgence the gullet is irregular 
in width, the abdomen swells, and wind in the stomach ensues. 

Symptoms. — Front teeth worn unnaturally by rubbing or pressing the 
edge of the teeth on a hard substance, as the manger; the teeth are fastened 
into the manger; the neck is curved, and air is sucked in and swallowed 
with a peculiar noise; such is called a crib-biter. The wind-sucker presses 
the lips, instead of trie teeth, against the manger; the neck is curved; the 
feet brought together, and wind sucked in and swallowed. 

Treatment. — Straps, racks and muzzles are of little use; straps are 
liable to induce disorders of the air-passages which will end in roaring. 
Nails and sheet-iron put on the manger are apt to fail of their purpose, and 
will break the teeth. Aloes and coal-oil put on the manger have done some 
good. An effectual remedy is to remove the manger and whatever else the 
horse can fix his teeth or lips upon, and to feed him upon the ground. The 
simplest and most effective plan, however, is to put in a smooth, hard roller 
for the edge of the manger, which will revolve easily from any attempt to 
fasten upon it with the teeth or lips, thus preventing the practice. Some 
form of muzzle may be put on that will make the act impossible. 

STOMACH STAGGERS. 

This disease is usually caused by overloading the stomach, especially 
after a considerable fast, and by quick feeding; dry hay or barley, mingled 



84 



THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 



in the stomach with water; or excessive eating at a crib may be the cause,. 
Any of these produce a swelling of the stomach, and lead to the disorder. 
Symptoms. — The horse stands listless, drooping, drowsy, unsteady, or 
staring vacantly and unwilling to move; presses hard against the wall or 
rests the chin on the manger; occasionally falls asleep with partially masti- 
cated food in the mouth; pulse full and slow; yellow mucous membranes; 
bowels constipated; urine stops; breathing deep and snoring; if the disease 
increases, there ensues partial paralysis of the hind extremities; wild and 
staring eyes, or dilated pupil and insensibility to light; the animal walks 
around the stable, striking his head upon different objects; some tremors 
and sweats, with pain in the abdomen, or delirium; he stamps and looks at his 
sides; lies flat down, or sits on his haunches, not rolling or tin-owing him- 
self as in colic; or brain-symptoms may predominate, the pulse being full s 




Violence Sometimes Evinced in Stomach Staggers, but More Common in Mad Staggers, 



bounding and quickened; the horse raises the fore feet into the manger, 
falls back, blowing or snorting, and lies exhausted; rises, grows sleepy, the 
enlarged pupils of the eyes and wild expression giving place to drooping 
lids and hanging tongue and head, with staggering; then the furious man- 
ner recurs and, being repeated, is followed by death from ruptured stomach. 
These symptoms should be carefully observed, as some of them are attend- 
ant upon apoplexy and brain fever. One of these is indicated if the horse 
has not eaten heartily after a fast, has not been at the crib, or on rich pas- 
ture in a hot sun when he is in bad condition, has not had grain whole an J 



THE HORSE THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. 85 

unsoaked, has not been previously attacked, or if the disease is not prev- 
alent in the neighborhood. An explicit showing of the difference be- 
tween Stomach Staggers and Brain Fever (Mad Staggers) is given under 
the latter disease. Read also what is said upon Apoplexy. 

Treatment. — Give a drench of five drachms of horse-aloes and two 
drachms of carbonate of soda, dissolved in a j^int of boiling water, to 
empty the stomach. Then treat the paralysis and brain-disorder with nux 
vomica and belladonna. When no delirium exists, nux vomica will suffice, 
given every two hours, beginning two hours after the drench of aloes. 
For symptoms of delirium, give belladonna every two hours in alternation 
■with nux vomica. Should the cleansing of the stomach commence, alter- 
nate these remedies every two hours. Give all the water the horse wants, but 
v^ithhold all food the first twenty-four hours, thereafter giving bran-mashes 
or thick gruel. Apply cold cloths to the head during treatment. 

PAIN IN THE STOMACH. 

This is indicated by symptoms similar to those of colic (which see), 
but the horse in stomach-pain puts his nose behind the left elbow-joint, 
the seat of the stomach; gas rises from the stomach, producing waves 
along the gullet like those caused by the passage of food or drink, though 
in the opposite direction. 

Treatment. — Give ten drops of antimonium crudum in a little flour 
every half-hour or hour until relief is given. A mild laxative may be 
given in the form of linseed oil or aloes. To quiet the pain, chloral 
hydrate or a hyperdermic injection of morphia may be used. Copious in- 
jections of hot water into the bowel will aid in giving relief. 

CHOKING. 

Bolting oats, swallowing potatoes, apples, carrots, medicinal balls, or 
even a whole egg, will cause choking; it may also result from stricture of 
the gullet, which is mentioned below. 

Symptoms. — Refusal of food; slobbering; water flows from the mouth 
in an attempt to drink; frequent efforts at swallowing, with spasmodic con- 
traction of the muscles of the neck; occasionally a sharp noise indicating 
pain. When the difficulty is in the throat, slobbering, cough, quick 
breath, sweats and frequent retchings occur. When it is further down in the 
ggdlet, a swelling arises in the left side of the neck; when still lower down, 
violent retching after swallowing a fluid, with less violent choking. 



THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 




High Choke — in Upper Part of Gullet. 



Treatment. — Linseed oil forced into or through the throat will usually 
remove the difficulty. If the choking is in the throat, open the mouth, 
draw the tongue far out and put the hand into the throat and remove the 
obstruction, the throat being rubbed or pressed at the same time to loosen 
it. If it is in the neck, rub and press the swollen part, and drench with 

tepid water until the horse 
swallows the substance, or 
throws it up in retching. In 
the failure of these expedients, 

JllUJ^iPMIRi 1 ^^^ or when the offending object 
*w I \sC y Uiliiiiilwi IMteiS^Mvfe is out of reach by other means, 

such a probang as is men- 
tioned under Stricture of the 
Gullet, or other like instru- 
ment, may be slowly and very 
gently pushed along the gut- 
ter of the roof of the mouth 
until the obstruction is reached, 

and pressure be then gently applied to force it into the stomach. Such an 

operation is a delicate one, and should not be resorted to unless it is cer- 
tainly known that the obstructing body has passed below the opening into 

the windpipe. The instrument is to be perfectly smooth and always well 

oiled before it is used. 

When the choking persists, gag the animal by passing between the 

jaws a smooth roller of wood, drawing it well up between the teeth, and 

securing it thus by cords 

attached to the projecting 

ends and i-eaching up over 

the head. This prevents 

swelling of the abdomen, 

and the obstruction will 

probably soon pass down 

into the stomach. When 

using the probang, if the 

clogging is stubborn, it is 

well to stop the pressure, 

gag the animal as here 

directed, and then apply 

the probang again after a brief interval. If meal, bran and other fine food r 

or even oats, be fed, they will only become packed closely in the gullet, or 

oesophagus, after remaining a short time, and make the case worse. It is 




Low Choke — in Lower Part of Glxlet. 



THE HORSE THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. 87 

always best in this kind of choking to pour down well-cooked gruel or 
water to break up the mass and carry it into the stomach a little at a time. 
The last resort is the opening of the gullet by a surgeon. After the 
removal of the object, and the stitching of the wound, no solid food should 
be given for some time. 

INFLAMMATION OF THE MOUTH AND TONGUE. 

This is caused by bruises from severe bite; hiting of the tongue; lick- 
ing irritating substances; improper administration of medicines, such as 
turpentine and ammonia; injuries from giving balls; teething; irregular or 
decayed teeth. 

Symptoms. — Mouth red, painful and swollen; much fever; free dis- 
charge of mucus; peeling off of the mucous membrane of the mouth, 
followed by new sores, ulceration, and perhaps gangrene; the tongue 
sometimes hangs out, possibly with formation of matter, or it may remain 
stiff, hard and enlarged; difficult swallowing; obstructed respiration, with 
threatened choking; perhaps suppuration. 

Treatment. — Should any feverish symptoms be present, give aconite 
every four hours. When local inflammation alone exists, give belladonna. 
When, after the inflammation has remained some time, the tongue is swol- 
len and hard, and salivation continues, administer mercurius corrosivus. 
When the inflammation has been caused by injuries, arnica may be given 
internally, and a lotion of the same may also be applied to the wound. 
Arsenicum is valuable when gangrene is threatened or the discharge is 
offensive. In cases threatened with gangrene, or attended with an offen- 
sive discharge from the mouth, a wash should be used composed of two 
dessert-sj)Oonfuls of Condy's Fluid and a half-pint of water. When this 
difficulty is a simple inflammation from deranged digestion or other causes, 
wash the mouth frequently with cool astringent agencies, as vinegar and 
water, alum, tannin, tincture of myrrh, or a very weak solution of carbolic 
acid, ten drops to a pint of water. Sometimes the tongue becomes so 
much swollen as to threaten suffocation, and matter also forms in it. In 
these cases a cutting or scarifying of the tongue becomes necessary, fol- 
lowed by washing the mouth four or five times a day with a lotion com- 
posed of one ounce of calendula and twelve ounces of water. As food, 
give oatmeal-gruel or linseed-tea, by drenches if necessary. Give all the 
cold water the animal wants. Should ulcerations "gather" or point, 
lance them. On examination of the list of causes one will readilv infer that 
irritating drugs are to be given with care, the teeth to be watched, and the 
food carefully regulated. 




88 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

APHTHA OR THRUSH IN THE MOUTH. 

This is less frequent in the horse than in other animals. It is an in- 
flammation of the tongue or mucous membrane of the mouth, consisting 
of a pimply eruption which terminates in white scabs or dead skin. 
Though usually constitutional, it may result from a chemical process, or 
from a mechanical one, such as pressure. 

Symptoms. — Clusters of white vesicles on the tongue, especially the 
sides and tip, and on the inside of the cheeks and lips; increased flow of 
saliva; difficult feeding; vesicles burst; small ulcers take 
place; the scalv covering of the tongue peels off, leav- 
ing a raw surface, which prevents eating; sometimes 
strangles occur with this disease. 

Treatment. — Give mercurius three times a day, 
dry on the tongue. Should the mercurius not remove 
the disorder in two days, or if unmistakable signs of 
derangement of the stomach be present, give nux 
vomica three or four times a day. Arsenicum and sul- 
phur are useful for ulcerations of the lips and nose. As 

Aphthous Mouth. r j^j remedy> one dessert-SpOOnf ul of Condy's Fluid in 

eight ounces of water will cleanse the mouth. A solution of bi-sulphite 
of sod;i,. or of borax, will also be a good wash. 

CARIES OR ULCERATION OF THE JAW. 

The use of the high hit and tight nose-band causes laceration of the 
palate, followed by unhealthy sores which extend to the hone and end in 
ulceration. Between the tushes and molars of the lower jaw a like injury 
may also be produced by a long check-bit and tight curb. 

Symptoms. — Slobbering, often offensive and bloody; inability to eat 
hard food, which is thrown from the mouth during mastication; ragged 
wound in the mouth, with granulations at the bottom or on the sides; the 
probe easily finds the bone; sometimes mortification. 

Treatment. — For a sloughing wound, with dingy-colored base and 
unhealthy gi-anulations, touch the bottom of the wound and the granula- 
tions once a dav with some mild caustic, as nitrate of silver, until the 
wound becomes of a healthy appearance, when treatment should cease. 
Give green food, if possible, not using a bit until the wound is healed. The 
reckless use of severe curbs and check-bits deserves the highest censure. 
The substitution of more grateful ones, and the proper change in the nose- 
band will prevent many cases. 



THE HORSE THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. 89 

CARIES OR ULCERATION OF THE TEETH. 

This is a result of some disease of the teeth, and produces a half-bone, 
half-cartilage growth on the cellular structure of the jaw, which can be 
remedied only by cutting" it off. It is generally a corruption' of the 
■dentine and enamel and may originate at the fang, when the inside pulp is 
■destroyed, and hence the tooth dies. If it attacks the last three upper 
molars, it extends to the maxillary cavities and nasal chambers, producing 
a discharge similar to that in glanders. Should an abscess break on the 
surface, fistula of the face occurs, and should be treated as directed under 
the section on that disease. Ulceration of the teeth may result from 
strangles and catarrh when the nasal discharge has been free for a long 
time. Hot food or large doses of mercury may cause it. Usually, how- 
ever, there is an unknown cause acting through the nerves and blood-ves- 
sels of the center of the tooth. 

Symptoms. — If the tooth aches, the horse rests one side of the head 
on the manger and refuses food; swollen cheek and increased flow of saliva. 
In other cases, the horse " quids " hay or corn, 
and drops it, or bolts corn, so that it is whole in 
the dung; offensive breath; if the maxillary cavi- 
ties are diseased, a discharge of pus and mucus 
flow from the nostril on the side affected — from 
both if both sides are diseased ; the glands under 
the jaw are swollen as in glanders; eye some- 
times irritated; the horse loses flesh and becomes 
hide-bound; the balling-iron shows a black spot Sign of Caries and t^oth- 

or cavity in the tooth, with collections of decom- ache. 

posed and very offensive food; gums sometimes inflamed and swollen. 

Treatment. — This consists mainly in the removal of the diseased 
tooth by a skillful operator. If the jaw be diseased, it should be cleansed 
daily with carbolated water. Apply tincture of myrrh to the gums. 

IRREGULAR GROWTH OF THE TEETH. 

The grinding surface sometimes becomes sharp and uneven, causing 
serious injury to the tongue, cheek or palate, and occasionally a disorder in 
the upper jaw, with symptoms similar to those in ulceration of the teeth. 
One of the most common forms is the projection of one of the incisors out- 
ward ("buck-tooth" ); while an extra tooth appears sometimes in front of 
the molars ( "wolf-tooth" ). 

Treatment. — Rasp the teeth or cut off the projecting parts. Some- 




90 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

times remove the irregular tooth. These steps should be taken by a 
skillful operator with special instruments, never be knocked out with a punch. 

LAMPAS. 

Lampas is a disorder occurring especially among young horses, and 
consisting in inflammation and swelling of the front part of the palate,, 
causing it to descend as low as the front teeth, or below them. It results 
from teething or derangement of the stomach, usually preventing the horse 
from eating. 

Treatment. — No treatment, as a rule, is necessary except that the 
horse be given bran and other soft food for a few days, and the mouth be 
occasionally washed with a solution made of a teaspoonful of alum and a 
half-pint of water. For derangement of the stomach, nux vomica is often 
useful. Mercurius is also beneficial. Scarifying is unnecessary, but it h 
best to apply some soothing wash, as one of tincture of myrrh. Give lin- 
seed-tea, gruel and bran-mashes, but no hay, until recovery ensues. 

SALIVATION.— " SLOBBERS." 

Salivation, or undue flow of saliva, is caused by eating certain kinds of 
green food; administering mercury, whether by the nose or mouth, or by 
friction on the skin; inflammation of the mouth and salivary glands. It 
has sometimes occurred when it could be attributed only to some derange- 
ment of the nerves supplying the salivary gland. It is indicated by an un- 
usual flow of saliva, with or without offensive breath, and with or without 
sore mouth. When the administration of mercury is the cause, the teeth 
may be loose, the gums ulcerate, and general disorder of the stomach and 
bowels set in. 

Treatment. — When the cause is green food, change the feed and 
give a few drops of nitric acid or mercurius night and morning; if caused 
bv mercury, give nitric acid, iodine, and iodide or chlorate of potassium. 
When traceable to nervous derangement, and not to mercury, give arseni- 
cura every four or five hours. In persistent cases, try chlorate or iodide 
potassa, rubbing iodine ointment over the glands, under the ears and be- 
tween the jaws. A wash of hydrastia and water (one part of fluid hydras- 
tia to ten of water), or an infusion of butternut-bark will restore the in- 
tegrity of the gums and lessen the flow of saliva. " Slobbers " which 
arises from feeding on low clover pasturage is often very disagreeable to 
the rider or driver, and he may give temporary relief by feeding a pint of 
dry bran, but a cure comes only by a change of pasture. 



THE HORSE THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. 



91 



SALIVARY CALCULI. 



These are masses usually composed of phosphate and carbonate of 
lime mingled with animal matter, which form in the glands that pass over 
the margin of the jaw below the ear, or in the glands beneath these, or in 
those which are under the tongue. A 
grain of oats, barley or wheat may have 
lodged in the duct, and have formed the 
nucleus of a calculus. 

Symj)to?ns. — Enlargement of the ducts 
which lead from the glands, due to accumu- 
lations of saliva which the obstruction pre- 
vents from passing out; matter may form 
and burst out; chewing and swallowing are 
more or less impeded. 

Treatment. — A skillful operator may 
remove the calculus by surgical means, 
bring the lips of the cut together, and sew 
and plaster it evenly. If this be poorly 
done, salivary fistula (see below) will prob- 
ably ensue. If the calculus forms at the mouth of the duct, the duct may 
be expanded and the obstruction be removed with forceps. In mild cases a 
cure may be effected by pushing the calculus into the mouth by manipula- 
tions along the outside, over the obstructed part of the duct. 




Seat of Salivary Calculus and 
Fistula. 

a. Salivary Gland. /', Duct, in which 
Calculi form, c, d, e, J, g, Muscles of 
Mastication. 



SALIVARY FISTULA. 



This is a tube-like sore which opens into the salivary gland at a point 
where the latter passes over the angle of the jaw. It is caused by some 
obstruction in the gland, or by a wound, and if neglected is difficult to cure.. 

Symptoms. — Discharge of clear, limpid saliva from the sore, especially 
when the animal is chewing; impairment of digestion and general health.. 

Treatment. — Keep the head elevated, tying the halter to both sides 
of the stall to prevent rubbing of the sore. Give gruel and soft food, put- 
ting the meals and drinks at long intervals, and allowing no oats, whole 
grain, or hay. Wash the wound frequently with a solution of one part of 
calendula to ten of water. If the fistula is of recent development, shave 
the edges of the sore, bring the lips evenly together, and apply enough 
layers of collodion to make a fastening sufficiently strong to prevent the- 
bursting out of the secretions. Sometimes a blister over the opening is- 
advisable. It may be necessary to close the opening with sutures of cat- 



<9*2 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

gut or other material. The natural opening of the gland into the 
mouth should be kept open, and thorough cleanliness of the mouth will 
.assist in keeping it so. Mastication tends to retard the cure. 

PROTRUSION OF THE TONGUE. 

Hanging or protrusion of the tongue is an indication of paralysis, 
wounds or injuries to the tongue, or weakness and lengthening of the mus- 
cles which control it. Paralysis of the lips sometimes attends it, the lip 
then hanging down, with slobbering and difficulty in picking up food. 

Treatment. — Many times a faulty bit is the cause, and a change in 
it will relieve the trouble. When paralysis is the occasion of the disorder, 
the best results will be obtained by giving strychnia, one-hundredth of a 
-"•rain three times a day. Plumbum will help some cases. Electricity ap- 
plied to the nerves may stimulate them to action and thus afford relief. A 
piece of the tongue is often cut off to prevent injury, but that is seldom 
necessary if the treatment here noted be observed with precision. 

STRICTURE OR CONTRACTION OF THE GULLET. 

This may be caused by the lodging of some food in the neck, or may 
•occur near the stomach when only the introduction of a suitable instrument 
into the gullet, through the mouth, can afford relief. It is caused by a 
mechanical or chemical injury, by thickening of an inflamed mucous 
membrane, and by cancer. 

Symptoms.- — Difficulty in swallowing, with expulsion of food from the 
nostrils; quidding of hay and throwing it from the mouth; sharp appetite, 
with inability to gratify it; loss of spirits and condition. 

Treatment. — Prepare three probangs, long, smooth and slender, of 
different sizes, made of gutta-percha, with an ivory knob on the end to pre- 
vent injury to the membrane. Oil these well and use them every day, apply- 
ing the first (about the size of the little finger) until it passes down freely; 
then the second (sh'ghtly larger), until its passage is easy, when the third size 
may be used. It is a delicate operation and can safely be performed only 
with the closest care. Give soft, nutritious food, but no dry hay or grain. 







CHAPTER IV. 

THE ORGANS OF CIRCULATION. 

PALPITATION.— THUMPS. 

HfHIS is an unhealthy increase in the heart's action, found in horses- 
that are feeble, or that are subjected to severe or straining exercise,, 
as running or drawing heavy loads up hill. We recognize two- 
•fijp^ forms and give them separate treatment. 

The First Form. — Poor blood is the cause of this form. Its symp- 
toms are a dull, thumping sound in the breast, being heard at a distance of 
several yards in extreme cases, corresponding to the pulse and heart-beats;; 
troubled breathing; increased temperature of the body; red mucous mem- 
branes; the ear placed to the heart detects "blood-sounds" about the heart,, 
veins and arteries, made by the blood passing through the channels of the 
heart, and making a continuous hum; sometimes shaking or jerking of the- 
whole body. 

Treatment of the First Form. — Give stimulants and tonics with 
mild exercise. Aconite should be given every half-hour when the cause is- 
violent exercise, and the breathing is rapid. It may be beneficially alter- 
nated with nux vomica. Arsenicum is desirable when the disorder attacks 
horses that are in fair condition, and when it manifests itself especially at 
night. The tincture of Peruvian bark will relieve the constitutional weak- 
ness, a teaspoonful or less being given three or four times a day. Nux 
vomica is recommended for palpitation induced by indigestion. Asafcetida 
is useful for the form which results from excessive physical motion, with an 
intermittent pulse. Digitalis should be given if there be oppressed breath- 
ing and great distress, half a teaspoonful of tincture at a dose. Give bella- 
donna for palpitation during rest and increasing with motion; intermitting 
pulse; and for trembling heart, with great distress. For horses with palpita- 
tion which have been subject to rheumatism, spigelia is one of the most 
valuable medicines, twenty drops being given three times a day. Give 
moderate, nourishing diet; perfect rest for a few days after an attack, and only 
light work thereafter for several weeks; fresh air; freedom from draughts, 

93 



94 



THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 



The Second Form.— This is often improperly called spasm of the dia- 
phragm, which is really hiccough and is elsewhere considered. The second 
form of palpitation, also called "thumps," is caused by excessive action of the 
heart incident to a hard or exciting run, which causes a jerking of the whole 
"body as the heart strikes the region toward the upper part of the false ribs. 
The symptoms of the first form of palpitation, as noted above, attend this, 
together with a violent raising of the flanks which proves unpleasant to a 
rider. The symptoms come and go suddenly. As an aid in distinguishing 
this form of palpitation from true spasm of the diaphragm, or hiccough, the 
reader is referred to the subjoined parallel tables of symptoms. 



PALPITATION OR THUMPS. 

Hiccough is seldom present. 

The action of the abdominal muscles is 
increased, and the heaving of the flanks is 
quite visible. 

The flanks are tucked-up. 



SPASM OF THE DIAPHRAGM. 

Hiccough is always present. 

The action of the abdominal muscles at 
the flank is imperceptible. 

There is great fullness in the flanks from 
the abdominal viscera being pushed back- 
ward. 



Treatment. — Digitalis is valuable for great irregularity of the heart's 
action, inability to lie down or walk, and much distress, a half-teaspoonful 
to a teaspoonful two or three times a day being suitable as the dose. 
Stannum has alone cured this form of palpitation. Observe the same gen- 
eral care as was outlined above for the first form. 

DROPSY OF THE HEART. 



This is the result of an inflammation of the serous membrane which 
envelops the heart as a sac, causing serous fluid to be deposited within this 
membrane in unnaturally large quantities. It may result from exposure to 
•cold, damp, changes of temperature; from those conditions which produce 
acute diseases of the breathing organs; from changes to a hot stable from 
the field; from a sudden transition from poor to rich and heating food. It 
however generally comes along with influenza, rheumatism or pleurisy. 

Symptoms. — These are easily confounded with those of pleurisy. The 
horse stands still, with anxious face and lowered head, showing signs of 
great pain; fixed eyes; extended nostrils; pulse ioo to 120, wiry, perhaps 
irregular or intermittent; great fever; breathing 30 to 40 per minute, diffi- 
cult, with complicated movement of flanks, much like that in broken wind; 
in early stages pressure in the region of the heart causes flinching and signs 
of pain; the ear placed in the same region perhaps detects friction-soundsj 



THE HORSE THE ORGANS OF CIRCULATION, 



95 




General Symptom of Heart 
Disease. 



before the serous matter has accumulated, not heard after that effusion; when 
these friction-sounds cease the heart-beats are muffled ; later still, the effu- 
sion increasing, the impulse of the heart is not well defined, but is a flutter 
in uncertain beats, giving a peculiar pulsation to the hand; breathing grows 
more distressing; movement aggravates the 
pain; pulse feebler, being even imperceptible 
at the jaw ; legs and ears cold; chest, abdomen, 
legs, and other parts dropsical; death soon 
ensues. In some of the more advanced stages, 
striking upon the parts near the heart produces 
a dull sound near that organ, but does not dis- 
turb the bronchial and respiratory sounds, 
which are affected in hvdrothorax, or water in 
the chest. In pleurisy, the frictional sounds 
occur during the respiratory movements of the lungs; in dropsy of the 
heart, during the beats of the heart. The reader should be very careful to 
lake note of these distinguishing symptoms. 

Treatment. — During the inflammatory stage, when the sound of the 
heart is lessened, with strong, regular impulse, and hard, strong and quick 
pulse, give aconite every two hours; or alternate it with bryonia, especially 
in complications with rheumatism. For irregular or intermittent action of 
the heart, give ten to twenty drops of digitalis every four hours; and when 
the disorder follows or accompanies rheumatism (in which case the beats are 
usually jerking), alternate digitalis with colchicum. Give arsenicum or apis 
in the second stage, when the serous matter has distended the sac which 
envelops the heart, particularly if dropsical swellings exist in other parts. 
Acetate of potassa will induce free action of the kidneys and lessen the 
tendency to drops}', and a teaspoonful may be given much diluted with 
water. In extreme cases, and when the collection of fluid is great, it may- 
be drawn off with a trocar or an aspirating needle, as in hydrothorax or 
dropsy of the chest, the puncture being made by a skillful hand between the 
fifth and sixth ribs. Hot fomentations applied to the chest will tend to aliay 
the inflammation. Mustard and flaxseed poultices will also be of service. 
Keep the surface of the body warm, and bandage and hand-rub the legs. 
Blood-letting is highly injurious in this disorder, as in most others. 



ENDOCARDITIS.— INFLAMMATION OF THE HEART. 



This is a very frequent complication of rheumatism, or may result froiii 
an undue strain in severe work, is dangerous, and may lead to many serious 
disorders of the heart. 



06 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

Symptoms. — The heart contracts energetically with vibrations, and 
often irregularly; pulse irregular, frequently intermittent, and is feeble, in 
striking contrast with the violent beats of the heart; a bellows-sound or saw- 
in"- noise. In early stages the breathing is not so difficult as in dropsy of 
the heart, but may grow very distressing if the valves of the heart become 
thickened; legs generally cold; the membrane is thickened, wholly or in 
part, sometimes resulting in a polypus of great size. 

Treatment. — For the primary symptoms aconite is the best remedy,, 
especially in rheumatic forms, and if given in time may effect a f;ivorable 
termination in many cases. It is desirable for palpitation and irregular action 
of the heart and for difficult breathing. Give it every hour. Give arseni- 
cum and digitalis in alternation, four or five doses of each in twenty-four 
hours, if the pulse becomes feeble and intermittent. Most cases have their 
origin in a rheumatic condition which calls for colchicum and iodide of 
potassa. After the inflammatory symptoms have subsided the following 
prescription will be found of value: 

Wine of colchicum seeds. i ounce 

Iodide of potassa, j^ ounce. 

Digitalis tincture, i ounce. 

Water, i pint. 

Mix. Give a half-wineglassful three or four times a day. 

ENLARGEMENT OR HYPERTROPHY OF THE HEART. 

This is a thickening of a part, less frequently the whole, of the walls 
of the heart. It is often found in broken-winded horses. Some of the 
causes are contraction of the vessels and the openings of the cavities of the 
heart, or deposits on the valves which lead to excessive action of the heart 
to overcome the obstructions, thus enlarging the muscles of the heart's 
walls; tumor in the aorta, or pulmonary artery; exhaustion from excessive 
exertion, especiall}' from arduous labor with full stomachs. It also results 
from other diseases, especially affections of the lungs. 

Symptoms. — The movement of the heart becomes and continues strong 
and impulsive, with an intense sound and loud, thumping, hollow beat; irreg- 
ularity of heart-action; dull sound on striking a part near the heart; pal- 
pitation comes on from quick work, accompanied with an anxious look of 
the eye; cold ears and legs; dizziness; difficult breathing; languor; less of 
appetite; in late stages, dropsical swellings on the chest, abdomen and legs. 

Treatment. — This is incurable, but the life of the horse may be ex- 
tended for years, even to old age. Yet this end can be attained only by 



THE HORSE THE ORGANS OF CIRCULATION. 97 

proper care. Medicines can be of little avail in correcting the essential 
nature of the ailment, but digitalis may be found serviceable in reducing 
irregular movements of the heart. Give simple but not stimulating food in 
small quantities, and impose only light and slow work, particularly in as- 
cending a hill or any grade. Avoid excitement when possible. 

DILATATION OF THE HEART. 

Dilatation signifies an enlargement of one or more of the cavities of the 
heart. Its causes are a defect of the valves by. which the blood is allowed 
to flow back and distend the walls; loss of nervous power; certain types of 
fever which weaken the muscular fibers. 

Sympto7ns. — The heart's action is feeble and tremulous; pulse weak, 
soft and small ; poor appetite; languor; dizziness; difficult breathing; ears 
and legs cold; finally dropsical swelling of the legs, belly and chest. It 
may exist with enlargement of the heart (see last disease), or with wasting 
of the heart (see the disease next considered). 

Treatment. — This disorder can not be cured, but relief may be given 
by using arsenicum three times a day, and insuring an easy, quiet life. 

WASTING OR ATROPHY OF THE HEART. 

This is an emaciation of the walls of the heart from causes similar to 
those pi-oducing dilatation. 

Symptoms. — Feeble impulse of the heart, an unusually loud sound 
being detected by applying the ear to the chest; pulse feeble, slow and in- 
termittent; the veins of the neck pulsate; dullness; fastidious appetite; legs 
cold; dropsical swellings on the limbs, belly and chest; difficult breathing- 
Son the slightest exercise; sometimes palpitation or fluttering of the heart. 

Treatment. — Arsenicum three times a day will afford a partial re- 
lief, though no known remedy is of permanent avail. Insure ease and quiet. 

INFLAMMATION OF THE VEINS. 

This is rare, excepting in case of some injury, as that caused by care- 
less bleeding, especially with rusty instruments. 

Symptoms. — The incision for bleeding or other purpose is surrounded 
by a swelling, small at first but increasing, hot and painful; the lips of the 
wound separate, the wound itself being red and moistened with a burning, 
very irritable, pussy substance; matter may form externally and the dis- 
order soon pass away. Usually, however, the swelling increases; the vein 



98 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

above the inflammation is hard, hot and cord-like; the salivary gland is 
much enlarged, most likely leading to the obliteration of the vein ; if hlood 
begins to flow from the vein, it will be difficult to stop it; the vein being 
lost, the circulation is disturbed, especially when the head is down, as in 
grazing; if ulceration be present, internal abscesses form with fatal results. 
Fever will exist in most cases. 

Treatment. — Give aconite for general feverish condition; dry, hot 
skin; full pulse; local inflammation. Belladonna is demanded for redness 
of the mucous membranes, sunken eyes with enlarged pupils. Give hepar 
if there be a pussy discharge from the wound, swelling of the glands with 
threatened abscesses, and for early stages of the formation of pus. Hama- 
melis, used externally on the wound as well as taken internally, is very de- 
sirable, and may be applied externally when any other remedy is adminis- 
tered. Give the horse quietness and rest. Apply hot fomentations freely. 
Tie the horse so the head can not hang down. Remove all hair, dirt and 
pus that may form about the wound. Let the diet be composed mainly of 
bran-rnashes, avoiding hay and other articles that require mastication. 

SWOLLEN OR VARICOSE VEINS. 

A morbid enlargement of a vein, with a knotty, unequal swelling, 
may render the valves useless, and thus retard the flow of blood back to the 
heart. It usually affects the vein that passes over the inner surface of the 
hock-joint, though it may form in other veins. It is caused by violent 
strains, in drawing and otherwise; inflammation from a prick in shoeing; 
often by frequent blood-letting. 

Symptoms. — The affected veins are crooked, knotted, enlarged, and 
divided into separate pouches or sacs; if the disorder be at the hock-joint, 
there will be a tumor, increasing in size, soft, hanging slightly, and shaking 
when the horse walks, becoming full and tense by pressure on the vein 
above it, and giving out a discharge by pressure carried upward from below. 
The knotted or swollen condition of the affected vein will be worse during 
standing, working, and the like. 

Treatment. — There is little chance of a permanent cure. A half- 
teaspoonful of hamamelis two or three times a day should be given, and 
applications of the same remedy be applied externally as often or oftener 
in the form of compresses secured b)' bandages. Rhus is an excellent 
remedy for both internal and external use. Have the animal lie down as 
much as practicable, standing being even more unfavorable than walking. 
Moderately tight bandages over the hock may be serviceable, and should be 
worn continuously until the vein has been obliterated. 



THE HORSE THE ORGANS OK CIRCULATION. 99 

ANEURISM. 

This is a tumor formed by the swelling of an artery. At first it pul- 
sates and contains fluid blood; later it is filled with coagulated blood. As 
it grows old, the artery may burst. The posterior aorta, at the beginning 
of the front mesenteric artery, is very subject to aneurism as the horse grows 
older. 

Sy?nptoms. — The symptoms are so obscure and so similar to those in 
other diseases that it is difficult to tell when they are a result of this dis- 
order. They come suddenly; the horse is dejected, unable to work, and 
thin; breathing quickened ; irregular pulse and heart-beats; tenderness at 
the loins; stiffness in turning; swelling and cramps in the legs; paralysis. 

Treatment. — If the presence of an aneurism can be known, digitalis 
may be useful, but the only course of any promise is to promote the gen- 
eral health, lower the diet and work, and insure general quiet. 

ENLARGEMENT OF AN ARTERY. 

Enlargement and clogging of an artery, known as "embolism," result 
from coagulated lymph, clots of fiber, pieces of diseased tissue, the elements 
of cancer or tubercle which are brought to the artery from the circulation 
and prevent the flow of blood from the artery to the limbs. Enlargement 
may also result from inflammation set up by parasites in the blood or in 
wounds. 

Sy?n / ptoi?is. — These, as in aneurism, are obscure, and it is difficult to 
determine from them whether an embolism is present or not. They are, 
great pain; quick, wiry pulse; anxious look; free sweats; cold extremities; 
local tremors; stiffness and contraction of certain muscles; the horse looks 
around toward the affected part; temporary paralysis of the affected limb 
or some of its muscles, followed by partial recovery and a similar attack of 
the other limb; return of the attack to the limb first affected; diminished 
pulse of the arteries in the limb involved; peculiar throbbing, felt through 
the rectum, in the posterior aorta; partial or complete paralysis of the hind 
limbs, or the hind quarters entire; finally death. 

Treatment. — Treatment avails nothing, except it be careful guarding 
of the general health ; cures can be effected only by nature. Aconite is the sole 
remedy which is even likely to give relief. Give perfect rest and apply 
warm fomentations to the affected part, if it can be located. If the case is 
persistent, several months may elapse before even a limited cure will ensue, 
during which time the animal should be kept in a yard where he will get 
gentle exercise and be well fed, so as to restore normal circulation. 



CHAPTER V. 
THE RESPIRATORY ORGANS. 

COUGH. 

J|l^]|OUGH has so many forms, and is so frequent a symptom that a de- 
Jf[p//k. tailed study of it is very important, to determine its seat and cause. 
\vyll ^ 1S cause d by inflammation of some part of the membrane lining 
s^fi the lungs and air-passages; teething; organic trouble in the viscera 
of the chest; nervous disorder; foreign substance in the breathing-apparatus,, 
and the like. It may be acute, then being usually a symptom of catarrh,, 
bronchitis, pneumonia, or other similar affection, and disappearing with the 
disease which causes it; or it may be chronic, as a result of some form of 
the acute, or as originally a simple cough, and is less easily cured than the 
acute. The following are the principal kinds of cough with their symptoms,, 
condensed in the main from the "Veterinary Vade Mecum:^ — 

I. (a.) From teething : Loud, ringing and clear, mainly in the morn- 
ing and at night, met with in horses four and five years of age, probably 
dependent upon nervous irritation from cutting of the tushes; mouth hot; 
bars of palate full, as in lampas; tenderness in eating grain; general health 
seemingly good, as well as the spirits. (<£.) If the cough results from the 
pharynx, fatices, and glands near them, it is moist, heavy-sounding, long, 
and apparently hanging in the throat; at first it may be dry and short, but 
a change soon comes on from a return of the secretion in increased quanti- 
ties, (c.) If the cough arises from the membrane lining the larynx, it is 
fitful, and may easily be produced by pressing on the top of the windpipe; 
when resulting from the laryngeal membrane, the cough is, hard, and has a 
metallic, ringing sound, followed by a long, harsh catching of breath, pro- 
ducing a noise akin to that of a roarer when on the canter; when resulting 
from disorder of the recurrent nerve, it is dry, loud, and spasmodic, often 
chronic, becoming loose and less painful upon the return of the secretion. 
(d.) If the cough results from an increase in the secretion of the membrane 
lining the windpipe, it will be long and moist, though frequent, sometimes 
with a thick, white discharge from the nose or mouth. On the other hand, 

100 



THE HORSE — THE ORGANS OF CIRCULATION. 101 

if the membrane of the windpipe be dry, the cough will be dry, and the 
■ear, applied to the windpipe, will detect a cooing, deep sound, instead of the 
moist, rattling sound mentioned under (c). (e. ) The bronchial cough is at 
first short, dry, hard, and frequent, but grows moist, muffled, feeble and 
prolonged upon the return of secretion. Arising from dryness and inflam- 
mation of the large bronchial tubes, it produces a cooing sound, audible to 
the ear placed at the root of the windpipe in front of the chest. Should the 
small bronchial tubes be similarly affected, the ear put upon the sides of 
the chest will notice a shrill or dry hissing rattle. When the secretion re- 
turns, a fluid rattle is heard, with decreased or suppressed breathing mur- 
mur, until the cough removes the secretion. (./"•) Pulmonary cough, re- 
sulting from inflammation in the substance of the lung, is short, dry, and 
frequent; accompanied by difficult breathing and increased by striking on 
the sides of the thorax. As the disease advances, this cough becomes more 
constrained and painful, or ceases altogether, {g-) The asthmatic or 
broken-wind cough is short, more like a grunt than a cough, and so feeble 
that it cannot be heard at any distance. It is frequently accompanied by a 
wheezing noise in the throat, and by jerking, irregular or double movement 
of the flanks in expelling the breath, (h.) The consumptive cough is 
•short and feeble, and may be known by an absence of murmur in circum- 
scribed spots of either lung, with increased bronchial respiration, cavernous 
•or foamy rattles. (/. ) The pleuritic cough is painful, and hangs in the 
chest from the endeavor of the animal to suppress it. 

II. Chronic cough is- that which continues months or years without 
vitally damaging the general health, and may result from previous disease, 
•or may from the first be simple, resulting from nervous derangement. It is 
of three kinds, namely: The hollow, groaning cough; the loud, dry, 
spasmodic cough ; the short, feeble, hacking, grunting cough. These are 
here described, (a.) The hollow cough apparently* comes from the inmost 
parts of the body, follows a noise made up of a half-groan and half-cough, 
.and comes on morning and night; it probably results from derangement of 
the nerve lining the stomach and lungs, though it often arises from a con- 
solidation of a part of the lung, attended with bronchial respiration in the 
■other parts. (£.) The loud, dry, spasmodic cough, increased by eating and 
drinking, seems to depend upon an irritability of the membrane lining the 
larnyx in an animal just brought from the stable, or upon disorder of the 
recurrent nerve, (c. ) The short, hacking, grunting cough is similar to 
that of a horse with broken-wind, the breathing however, being even; it 
usually depends upon loss of nervous power, though it may arise from 
some obstruction of the air-passages by a deposition of lymph. Such a 
cough is likewise heard in rupture of the diaphragm. 



102 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

Treatment. — Aconite may be used for all coughs with inflammation., 
either of the mucous membrane lining the air-passages or of the sub- 
stance of the lungs. In inflammation of the membrane of the air-passages the 
membrane is dry. When the lung-substance is affected, the pulse is strong 
and quickened, and the breathing murmur diminished, with a sawing kind 
of sound, called bronchial respiration. In such cases the cough is dry, 
short and frequent. As soon as secretion returns to the mucous membrane,, 
or the pulse becomes small and feeble, aconite should be left off, or alter- 
nated with some remedy adapted to the nature and location of the disease 
on which the cough depends, and of which it is a symptom. Give bella- 
donna when the cough is short, dry and barking; worse in the evening or 
night, seemingly caused by trouble in the throat; when there is sore throat 
with difficult swallowing, or chronic cough. Administer arsenicum for dry 
cough, in the evening or at night, after eating or drinking, or going up hill,, 
or from contact with cold air; difficult breathing; thin discharge from the 
nostrils; for coughs following catarrh of a weak type and influenza. When 
the cough is dry, hoarse and spasmodic, worse in the morning, after exercise or 
after eating, and attended with disorder of the stomach, furred tongue, foul 
mouth, uncertain appetite, and constipation, give nux vomica. Phosphorus 
is needed for a dry cough excited by cold air, drinking, irritation and tickling 
in the windpipe, and attended with discharges of phlegm and difficult 
breathing. Give bryonia for a cough which requires much effort, and 
cuts short the breathing; cough during frosty weather, or east winds,, 
or after eating and drinking; continued dry cough, especially in the 
morning, attended with rattling in some part of the windpipe, caused 
by tenacious mucus or soft lymph, and produced by pressure on the 
pait of the windpipe where the rattling occurs. Iodine is indicated 
by cough situated in the larnyx or windpipe, accompanied by soft 
secretions, or dependent on chronic inflammation of the mucous mem- 
brane, with foul discharge from the nostrils; the same remedy is use- 
ful for irritable but not inflamed salivary glands. Tartar emetic is ser- 
viceable for bronchial cough, when it is loose and attended with an 
abundant discharge of mucus, loud rattling, and painful breathing. Give 
cannabis for frequent attacks of fitful, hollow-sounding cough, occurring 
only in the morning, or for coughs in the evening, and not extending 
through the night. Kali bichromicum is effectual for tough, ropy, sticky 
phlegm of long-standing cases, and when the tongue is covered with fur. 
Spongia is demanded for shrill, sharp, ringing cough; inflamed windpipe; 
or dry, hollow, barking cough; loose cough; suffocating cough; violent 
racking cough; rattling in the bronchial tubes. For coughs of the various 
respiratory difficulties refer to those ailments. 



THE HORSE THE RESPIRATORY ORGANS. 103 

COLD.— CATARRH.— CORYZA. 

By these terms is meant an inflammation of the mucous membrane of 
the nose, throat and air-passages, with fever. Though often of little 
moment, it frequently endangers life. It is caused by stoppage of perspira- 
tion from a draught of air, or from standing in the cold after vigorous ex- 
ercise. It may be confined to the nose, when it is called nasal catarrh, or 
m:iy extend throughout the respiratory system. 

Symptoms. — Apparent laziness and slowness; frequent cough and 
snorting; watery discharge from the nose and eyes, with inflammation; 
want of appetite; nasal membrane unusually red; membrane lining the 
eyelids and covering the eves congested; pulse feeble and perhaps in- 
creased; sometimes swollen glands and sore throat, in which case the appe- 
tite declines, and swallowing even water is difficult, 
the horse holding the water in his mouth, or plung- 
ing his nose into it; the urine grows scanty, thick, 
turbid, strong and highly colored; the dung passes 
in small quantities and is covered with mucus; the 
nasal discharge becomes thick, white or yellow, or 
of a slate-color, when fever symptoms disappear, 
leaving no cause for alarm, excepting the liability 
to terminate in glanders, chronic cough, pneumonia, 
or the like, if neglected. Catarrh is often preceded 
by some constitutional trouble, and is distinguished 
from simple cold by local excess of blood in the 
mucous membrane lining the larnyx, pharynx and Symptom of cold or 

it i ii-ii i Catarrh. 

glands near those parts, by which the natural secre- 
tion is at first stopped and then returns, or is replaced by a mucous, watery 
discharge, or mucous matter with pus. 

Treatment. — In the first stages, attended with staring of the coat, 
shivering, lassitude, yawning, watery discharge from the nose and eyes, 
give a half-ounce of tincture of camphor in a mixture formed from the 
white of an egg and a teaspoonful of oil beaten together, and added to a 
gobletful of water; repeat the dose in half an hour if shivering continues. 
Aconite is needed when fever comes on with quick and full pulse after the 
cold symptoms; for respiration exceeding fourteen per minute; for a skin 
alternately hot and cold; dry, short, and frequent cough; mouth hot, 
and appetite bad; highly colored urine. It is not suitable for the late 
stages, or for fever of a weak or low type. Give mix vomica when there 
is fever of a low type, with gastric symptoms, constipation, and white or 
shining: coat on the tonarue. Administer mercurius for thick mucous dis- 




104 the; veterinary doctor. 

charge from the nose; sore throat; swelling of glands under the jaw; diffi- 
cult swallowing; slobbering; sticking together of the eyes. Should there 
be prostration after the active symptoms have declined, bad appetite, swol- 
len legs, great running at the nose and eyes, arsenic in some form will be 
useful, five to ten drops of Fowler's Solution every four hours being a 
suitable dose. When the attack comes on in dry weather, during the 
prevalence of dry, cold winds, in sudden changes of weather, or when 
cough is present and threatens bronchitis, give bryonia. Kalibichromicum 
should be given for a discharge of thick, yellowish matter, accumulating on 
the sides of the nostrils; cough; ulceration of the membrane; swelling un- 
der the jaw; very offensive odor. Put ten grains of the salt in one quart of 
water, and give a wine-glassful of this every two or three hours. This 
may be used as a wash by injecting it into the nose. 

Give the horse a clean, well-drained, and well-ventilated box, with 
plenty of fresh air, without draughts. Give food in moderate quantities, 
allowing only bran-mashes for a few days. Night and morning clean out 
the nostrils as well as possible, and let the horse inhale fumes of vinegar, 
This may be done by putting in a nose-basket bran soaked in hot 
water, and pouring in a half-pint of vinegar. (See page 105.) Or 
vinegar may be poured on a hot brick placed under the nose. Another 
way is to boil a mixture of bran and vinegar in a kettle, and convey the 
steam to the nostril by a flexible tube. In any case, care must be taken 
not to scald the nasal membrane with the steam. The inhalation causes 
sneezing, and thus the discharge of obstructing pus. The fumes of burn- 
ing tar or balsam of pine are very grateful and often open the passage. 

BRONCHITIS. 

This is an inflammation of the air-tubes which unite the lungs and 
larynx. It is liable to be mistaken for inflammation of the lungs, though 
in the latter the cellular tissue is affected, not a mucous membrane. This 
distinction should be carefully observed, as the symptoms and treatment for 
bronchitis and for inflammation of the lungs are different. Its causes are 
exposure to cold and wet; washing when the horse is heated, without 
thoroughly drying afterward; sudden changes in weather; standing in 
draughts of air, or being uncovered after violent exercise; high feeding and 
inadequate work; being turned out of a warm stable into the cold, or put 
into a hot stable directly after being on pasture, especially in young horses. 
It occurs more often in autumn and winter, particularly when the weather 
is wet; east winds and dry atmosphere long continued encourage it. 

Symptoms. — The symptoms at first are the same as those in ordinary 



THE HORSE THE RESPIRATORY ORGANS. 



105 



cold, then a sudden, complete failure of appetite; pulse feeble, but steadily 
rising; mucous membrane of the nostrils very red; the cough grows feeble, 
hoarse, prolonged, or may be entirely stopped, usually attended with slob- 
bering, repeated attempts to swallow, and other signs of sore throat; nasal 
membrane, at first dry and red, becomes moistened with watery or thin, 
yellow secretion; perhaps a thick mucous discharge with pus from nostrils; 
temperature of some legs lower than that of the others; breathing difficult 
and rapid, being thirty or more; later, phlegm accu- 
mulates, causing continuous coughing; the dry, 
harsh sound is soon succeeded by a gurgling, caused 
by secretion of mucus, called the "mucus rale"; 
in some parts wheezing. 

In extreme cases the nasal discharge is entirely 
stopped; the lining membrane of the nostrils is very 
red, or purplish, dry and swollen ; cough stops, or 
recurs constantly without giving relief; if the lungs 
are involved, there are loud bronchial breathing 
and diminished murmur in breathing, and if the 
latter wholly ceases a crackling sound is heard, 
attended by cold extremities and deep breathing; 
complete loathing of food ; weaker, quicker, nearly 
imperceptible pulse; deeper breathing, followed by 
quicker, so that the horse cannot lie down, but 

stands with extended legs; in the absence of relief the animal dies from 
suffocation in eight or ten days from the beginning of the disorder. If in- 
flammation declines, the nostrils give a free discharge; the pulse and 
breathing become slower; the horse lies down; and only a soft cough and 
weakness remain, which are soon cured. 

In moderate cases the nasal discharge is free; the cough distressing 
but loose, with free discharge from the bronchial tubes; pulse fifty to 
seventy; breathing not much increased, but disturbed; loss of appetite not 
complete. Though not so dangerous as the extreme cases, this form may 
result in a change of structure, or destruction of the bronchial tubes, caus- 
ing thick wind. Acute bronchitis sometimes terminates in a chronic form, 
the discharge and cough continuing, without inflammation. In many cases 
it is complicated with inflammation of the lungs. 

Treatment. — Aconite should be given for the first symptoms of 
feverishness ; hot, dry mouth and skin; quick, full pulse; short, dry cough; 
difficult breathing; great thirst; red nasal membrane and suspension of its 
normal secretion. It is generally best to alternate aconite with bryonia. 
•Give bryonia when the large air-passages are principally affected, the 




A Steaming-Bau. 



106 



the; veterinary doctor. 



inflammation having extended down to them along the larynx; when the 
« mucous rale " is at the branching of the windpipe, with frequent, dry, 
irritating cough, increased by motion; thick mucous discharge from the 




throat and nostrils; also when the horse coughs upon trotting, but not 
when at rest. It is often advantageous to alternate the bryonia with 
aconite. Phosphorus is to be chosen when the small air-passages are pri- 
marily and chiefly affected, small moist rattles being heard, and the cough 





Dressing for Protection ok the Throat and Lung; 
and for Retention of Compresses. 



Eight-Taii.ed Bandage for 
the Throat. 



heing painful and suppressed, or loud and dry, but with scanty discharge 
from the nostrils. Give belladonna for severe and violent paroxysms of 
coughing, especially in the evening; pain in the throat; difficult swallow- 
ing; rapid breathing; sneezing. It may often be beneficially alternated 



THE HORSE- — THE RESPIRATORY ORGANS. 107 

with mercurius. Mercurius is indicated by cough which is worse at night,, 
moist, and marked by slobbering'; eyes and nose red; the nasal discharge 
thick and plentiful, though soreness continues in the throat and chest;, 
breathing more frequent but not deep; mucous rattles in the windpipe and 
lower passages; glands swollen. A copious flow of mucus, loose cough, 
loud rattling and gurgling in the bronchial tubes, and distressed breathing 
call for antimonium tartaricum. Kali bichromicum is efficacious for tough, 
ropy, sticky phlegm, for tongue covered with yellow fur, and for confirmed 
cases. Give arsenicum when marked weakness and poor appetite continue 
after the foregoing remedies have reduced the active symptoms, and the 
soft cough and nasal discharge progress. In the general care provide for 
the horse a large box, airy, but free from draughts, dirty bedding and other 
offensive matter; plenty of clean straw; comfortable clothing; rubbing of 
the legs night and morning with the hands, and bandages of flannel applied 
to them; bran-mashes, gruel, water (not very cold); when recovering, 
boiled oats, carrots, green food, turnips and malt-mashes. For costiveness 
use back-raking and injections. Steaming the nose (see under Catarrh) 
is often useful. For great weakness and prostration at any stage, stimu- 
lants, such as aromatic or carbonate of ammonia, or wine, should be used. 

INFLAMMATION OF THE LARYNX.— LARYNGITIS. 

In this the upper part of the windpipe is more seriously inflamed thart 
in sore throat and cold, though it is usually attended by cold. Unless 
checked it is liable to cause death by suffocation, or it may inflict permanent 
injury upon the larynx, disturbing the wind, or may terminate in chronic 
cough, pneumonia or bronchitis. Chronic laryn- 
gitis may result from the acute form, or may come 
gradually without previous severe inflammation, 
and has less violent symptoms. Its causes are 
the same as those of Bronchitis (which consult). 

Symptoms. — A rough, rasping, harsh sound 
at the top of the windpipe; short, hoarse, hard 
cough, usually convulsive, produced easily by 
pressing the top of the windpipe, the cough being 
so painful as to cause stamping or uneasy move- 
ments about the Stall ; outside of throat hot, pain- Listening to the Sounds 

1 in the Windpipe. 

ful and swollen; breathing short and difficult, 

being from fifteen to twenty per minute; pulse from sixty to seventy, hard, 
quick and full; mucous membrane swollen, perhaps tinged with bloody 
swallowing difficult; the animal quids hay and sups water, the latter again. 




108 the; veterinary doctor. 

coming out of the nose; thick discharge from the nostrils; slobbering — a 
favorable indication; the cough later becomes hoarse and not so loud; if 
the larynx becomes more inflamed, the breathing grows very labored, each 
breath being marked by a loud snoring; head raised and neck straightened 
out and stiffened ; nose extended ; nostrils widely opened ; nasal membrane 
leaden-colored; larynx drawn downward to the chest and affected with 
spasms, causing a shrill sound; wild eyes; restlessness; increased sweating; 
irregular and feeble pulse; the larynx becomes sometimes so narrowed that 
only an opening of the windpipe can prevent suffocation. 

Treatment. — Aconite is the first remedy to be given when feverish 
symptoms are noticed, with difficult breathing, full, hard and frequent pulse, 
scanty and high-colored urine. When the throat becomes hot, swollen and 
painful, the glands tender and swollen, the swallowing difficult, the cough 
intermittent, the hay quidded, and the water returned through the nose, bella- 
donna is needed. As soon as the secretion returns to the membranes and 
the mucous rattle can be heard in the larynx, accompanied with hoarse cough 
.and nasal discharge, mercurius should be given. Spongia is useful for affec- 
tions of the larynx and may take the 
place of belladonna for very difficult, 
slow and rasping breathing, the inspira- 
tions being hoarse, the cough hard and 
barking, or rough, or shrill; also for 
threatened suffocation. If there be an 
accumulation of tough, stringy mucus in 
the mouth, hoarse cough, scanty urine, 
and constipation, administer kali bichro- 
Fomentation on the Throat, micum. After all active inflammation 

has subsided and the notable symptoms 
are loss of appetite, swollen legs, debility, nasal discharge, and cough, 
arsenicum is to be taken. Nux vomica is the best remedy for spasm or 
sudden closing of the larynx, being then taken in alternation with mercurius 
solubilis — ten drops of the former and ten grains of the latter being suitable, 
each placed on the tongue after it has been wiped with a clean sponge. 

Provide a loose stall. Let the diet be composed of bran-mashes, carrots, 
green food, gruel, but no corn. Apply fomentations of hot water to the 
throat, and steam the internal part of the same, being careful to avoid scald- 
ing. For such steaming, hold the nose over a pail half filled with hot water, 
into which a handful of hay is placed. Other methods of steaming are 
described under Strangles and may be adopted here. In extreme cases, 
when suffocation seems imminent, the windpipe should be opened by a skill- 
ful surgeon and a tube be introduced to permit breathing. 




THE HORSE THE RESPIRATOR V r ORGANS. 



109' 



INFLAMMATION OF THE PHARYNX.— PHARYNGITIS. 

This affection is caused by exposure to wet and cold, and by impure 
air and hot temperature. 

Symptoms. — Sore throat, sometimes difficult breathing and swollen 
glands of the neck. It has indications similar to sore throat and inflamma- 
tion of the larynx. 

Treatment. — Give iodide of mercury and belladonna in alternation 
every one or two hours. Steam the throat as for Strangles. Keep the ani- 
mal warm with suitable clothing. If the legs are cold, bandage them. 
Pack the throat, a piece of sheep-skin, with the wool, being suitable for this 
purpose. Give bran-mashes, and keep the bowels open. 

CONGESTION OF THE LUNGS. 

Congestion of the lungs is a gorging of the lungs with blood, and is 
caused by general weakness, which prevents the action of the heart that is 
requisite to the full purification of the blood and circulation; by a long day's 
hard work; by undue riding or driving, especially with a following expos- 
ure to wet and cold; by long runs. It is always present in the beginning 
of pneumonia. 

Symptoms. — If the disorder occurs in the field, the horse suddenly 
stops, with anxious or distressed look; hanging head; expanded, puffed-out, 




A Frequent Position in Congestion. 



purple nostrils; protruding, blood-shot eyes; hurried, labored breathing,, 
going up to eighty or one hundred a minute; panting flanks; small pulse, 
reaching to eighty or one hundred a minute at the bronchial artery; feeble, 
disturbed heart, without the rattle incident to lung-inflammation. When 



110 the; veterinary doctor. 

•congestion results from a chill after hard work, the horse stands with the 
fore legs wide apart; head stretched forward toward the coolest place in the 
stable; breathing rapid and labored; heaving flanks; skin dry, or covered 
with cold sweat; legs and ears very cold; pulse not hard but quickened; 
mucous membrane of nose and whites of eyes of a light-purplish color. In 
•extreme cases the animal trembles all over, and the ears and legs are as cold 
as in death; the pulse can scarcely be felt; the bowing of the head and other 
marks of brain-trouble show that death is imminent. If the symptoms do 
mot end fatally, they are liable to lead to bronchitis or pneumonia. 

Treatment. — Treatment may be favorable if applied early; first re- 
move girths and other impediments to free breathing. Should the horse 
show symptoms when away from home, he should be given a quart of warm 
ale, or some spirits and warm water, and be left over night, if a warm, com- 
fortable stall can be found. If in the stable, and the legs are cold, they 
should be moistened with mustard and rubbed, when the following process 
•should be observed, if enough tvraps can be seatred: — Let a blanket soaked 
in and partially wrung out of very hot water (not so as to scald the ani- 
mal) be placed over the back, and fastened around the sides and under the 
•chest, over which place a ivaryn sheet and, in addition, two other woolen 
blankets. In fifteen minutes the under blanket should be dipped and wrung 
out of hot water, but done quickly, and left on for about two hours, when a 
•dry one must be substituted, and the fourth or outer one be removed, as it is 
not desirable to sweat these cases too much; this, however, may be avoided 
by admitting fresh air as soon as the skin begins to act; but great care must be 
taken not to give a chill after the operation. If the horse will drink scalded 
oatmeal and tepid water, the sweating process will be more quickly pro- 
duced. Ammonium causticum has been proved to be the best remedy in 
connection with processes such as the above. It should be administered 
every hour for the first four or six hours; then every second hour. For 
treatment when this disorder is complicated by inflammation of the lungs, 
•consult the following section for full and detailed directions. 

PNEUMONIA.— INFLAMMATION OF THE LUNGS. 

This is an acute inflammation of the parts composing the lungs and 
l*as the same causes as congestion. Indeed, it usually follows congestion, 
and also results from influenza, catarrh and bronchitis. It is likewise occa- 
sioned by the breathing of pungent, impure vapors which rise from dung 
and dirty litter; by taking the horse suddenly into the cold or wet after 
standing in a close, warm stable; by such exposure after having clothing on 
in the stable; by unwise feeding. 



THE HORSE THE RESPIRATORY ORGANS. 



Ill 




Position in a Bad Attack or Pneumonia. 



"^> 



Symptoms. — After a cough for several clays the horse shivers and quits 
eating; hangs his head in the manger or stretches it out; becomes listless; 
stands all the time with outstretched legs ; if the sides are sore, groans when 
made to move around ; dilated nostrils; nasal membrane, at first unusually 
red, becomes purple; mouth and breath hot; legs and cars cold; pulse at first 
hard, and goes up to sixty or ninety _^^ ^^^s^asssx 

a minute, but later is full and op- .*£ , ' ^ \ ^ 

pressed, and still later small, advanc- 
ing from one hundred to one hun- 
dred and twenty; breathing quick 
and labored; working of the wings 
of the nostrils; heaving flanks; 
cough short and painful, or ceases 
entirely; urine scanty and high- 
colored; bowels usually bound, but 
at last become relaxed (diarrhoea be- 
ing a most dangerous turn); ab- 
scesses in the lungs and gangrene 
are followed by offensive breath and 
great weakness; the horse staggers, being able to lie down only a short 
time, and strikes his head about; the mouth finally is cold, the pulse imper- 
ceptible, and death ensues. 

If the pneumonia be of a typhoid form, the horse for several days 
manifests symptoms of catarrh; remains dull; refuses food; pulse soft — 60 to 
70 per minute; breathing rises to about 20, without heaving of flanks; 
occasional cough, which the horse tries to check as if in pain; dilated nos- 
trils, with working of their wings; nasal membrane becomes leaden, gen- 
erally with a slight yellow or red discharge of a watery nature; the horse 
does not lie down but stands with outstretched neck; coat and skin dry; ears 
and legs cold; dull sound heard upon striking the chest; pressure of the finger 
between the ribs produces great pain; heart-beats intermittent; placing the 
ear to the chest one sometimes detects a rattling sound, but usually only the 
beating of the heart; in bad cases, mouth cold and breath offensive; finally 
the animal is unconscious, staggers, falls and dies. In unfavorable cases 
death follows after twelve or fourteen days. 

There are four stages, generally distinguished by the sounds in the 
chest: (1). In capillary irritation, the murmur of breathing is diminished 
and becomes harsh and dry, or confused. (2). In eizgorgemetit, there is a 
crackling sound, like that made by drawing the hair near the ear between 
the finger and thumb, known as "crackling rule." (3). In hepatization, 
there is an absence of sound in some parts; in others, a noise like that cf 



112 



THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 



blowing into a quill; should one lung be sound, its natural murmur is in- 
creased. (4). In purulent infiltration, abscesses form, without sound, 01- 
the lung is broken, opening into the bronchial tube and producing a deep 
sound, like that caused by blowing into a jug; sometimes a tinkling sound 
occurs, owing to pus in the cavity; if pus enters the bronchial tube, a gur- 
gling sound arises, with coughing, by which a thick gray or white matter is 
thrown out of the mouth; symptoms of gangrene are also detected, but are 
attended by extreme offensiveness of the breath and the discharge from the 
mouth. 

Treatment. — For shivering, lassitude, hurried breathing, quick and 
weak pulse, cold nose, ears and legs, and rough coat, give ammonium caus- 
ticum every half-hour until the coldness disappears. 

In the first stage {capillary irritation), and in congestion marked by 
quick, full pulse, dry, hot mouth, reddened mucous membrane of the nose and 
eyes, and disturbed breathing, give aconite every half-hour or hour. As 
soon as the inflammatory stage has set in, marked by crackling sounds in 
the chest, heaving at the flanks, oppressed pulse, cold extremities, and dis- 
charge of reddish or yellowish matter from the nose and mouth, phosphorus 
should be given alternately with aconite every two hours. Bromine is 
highly beneficial when inflammation runs so high in the lungs and adjacent 
parts as to threaten suppuration or gangrene. Prepare it as follows: — In a 
six-ounce bottle put twelve drops of bromine, at once fill it up with water; 
of this mixture one ounce is the dose, but it must be given in four ounces of 
water, as it is very strong. Bromine is very volatile, and the bottle con- 
taining it should not be opened or exposed to the light more frequently 
than is necessary. In ordinary cases of pneumonia, bromine does not act so 
well as phosphorus, but there have been cases in which the latter failed and 
the former succeeded, and vice versa. Bryonia should be alternated with 
phosphorus every hour in the third stage {hepatization), marked by ab- 
sence of sound in some parts, or bronchial breathing in others; also, when 
the breathing has become quickened and not so deep; sometimes catching, 
with painful, short, suppressed cough; or loose cough with discharge of 
frothy phlegm; pain from striking or pressing between the ribs. Tarlar 
emetic is useful when the fourth stage has set in, and is called for by loose, 
rattling cough and free discharge of mucus from both nostrils. After the 
active inflammatory symptoms have subsided, and the pulse, though quick, 
is small and weak, especially where the breath becomes offensive and symp- 
toms of a typhoid character occur, and when effusion has taken place in the 
chest, no time should be lost in giving arsenicum every two or three hours. 
In extreme cases a mustard-lotion should be applied to the sides with rub- 
bin^, and repeated the next day if necessary. Avoid blisters and like irri- 



THE HOKSE — THE RESPIRATORY ORGANS. 113 

tants. Put the horse in a well-ventilated stall, without draughts. Rub the 
legs well with the hand and bandage them with flannel. Use an extra 
blanket if the horse be chilly. Give green food if possible, otherwise a 
little bran and oats (previously soaked in boiling water), and hay. If the 
horse refuses other food, sustain him with oatmeal gruel carefully prepared. 
Keep constantly in the stall pure, cold, soft water for the horse to drink as 
he will. If the disorder terminates in simple "hepatization," the horse may 
be moderately worked, if the diet be carefully regulated, the stomach being 
nearly or quite empty when work is required. One of the most common, 
and yet one of the most fatal expedients in the treatment of pneumonia is 
blood-letting, not merely in small quantities, but in repeated and exhausting 
amounts. The result is an increase in the action of the heart as a conse- 
quence of weakness, and this is taken as the signal for further bleeding, and 
the animal succumbs and dies, not simply from the blood that is lost, but 
because he is not strong enough to bleed sufficiently. It is a practice that is 
based upon ignorance, without a single recorded result in its favor. 

CONSUMPTION. 

Consumption, which is rare in horses, is a formation ot tubercles in the 
lungs, which increase and ulcerate. It results from a constitutional tend- 
ency, aggravated by exposure to damp and cold; pasturage on marshy 
ground ; over-exertion. 

Symptoms. — Much coughing, dry or moist, with pus discharged from 
the nostrils, sometimes in great quantities; loss of flesh in spite of a good 
appetite; short breath; weakness; mane falls off; small sores on the withers; 
diarrhoea and death. 

Treatment. — The disease is usually not noticed until it is settled. 
Then it is incurable, but much can be done to give relief by general care. 
Keep the horse well stabled, avoiding north and east winds, free from ex- 
citement and alarm, warmly clothed and well-rubbed. When the weather 
is warm and the sun shining, allow him to be in the open air, stabling him 
as soon as the evening draws nigh. Give nourishing, easily digested arti- 
cles of food, as fats, consisting of linseed, corn, beans, peas and potatoes. 
Cod-liver oil, the hypophosphites, or the wheat phosphates may be used with 
advantage. Inhalations of carbolic acid, sulphur, and pine tar may assist in 
giving relief. These may be used by steaming with hot water, or by burn- 
ing the articles and allowing the animal to inhale the vapor. The steaming- 
bag represented on page 105 will be found of service in such inhala- 
tions. At best one can only hope to prolong the life of a suffering 
animal which can be of little service. 



114 



THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 



PLEURISY. 

Pleurisy is an inflammation of the serous membrane which lines the 
cliest and forms a cavity for the viscera contained therein. Its causes are 
exposure to cold, wet, or any sudden chill; atmospheric influence, pleurisy 
being a frequent accompaniment of influenza; extension of inflammation 
from the substance of the lungs. It may also be a local result of some in- 
ternal fevers. 

Symptoms, — These so nearly resemble those of pneumonia that 
they need careful study. The horse first shows signs of fever, with 
coughing and much restlessness, after which he remains standing still, and is 
unwilling to move; the flanks are very tender, and are peculiarly tucked 
up; the legs are more nearly erect than in pneumonia, though the head is 
outstretched ; pulse from sixty to eighty in extreme cases, and yet very 




A Horse Suffering from Pleurisy. 



small and quick; breathing uneven, and from twenty to forty; the breath 
is drawn in quickly and with interruptions, but expelled slowly; the counte- 
nance indicates pain; the animal looks at the sides frequently in a dejected 
manner; pressure between the ribs is followed by a grunt and an attempt 
to bite the attendant; upon turning around the horse gives a grunt, and the 
cough which usually occurs is checked, or cut short; partial sweats and 
twitching of the muscles are not uncommon; extremities variable in tem- 
perature, usually cold as in pneumonia. In unfavorable cases the breathing 
is quickened; the pulse grows more frequent and small; the tongue is 
coated and offensive in odor; a long breath is suddenly checked and a grunt 
occurs; inflammation continuing, breathing is more limited; pulse less dis- 



THE HORSE THE RESPIRATORY ORGANS. 115 

dnct; the horse is restless, paws, rises and lies down frequently, wanders un- 
consciously around the stall, becomes worn out, falls and dies. 

The symptoms of this disease which distinguish it from others with 
similar indications, especially pleurodynia, are these: — The sound as of the 
palms of the hands rubbed together, heard upon placing the ear to the sides 
of the chest; the variation in pulse and breathing; the animal appearing 
alternately better or worse at uncertain hours; the attempt to check the 
painful cough; the pain and grunt incident to pressure or striking on the 
diseased part (pain being caused by manipulation, without pressure, in 
pleurodynia) ; the short, catching breath, and the difference in time between 
taking in and expelling the breath. 

Treatment. — Aconite and bryonia are the best remedies for the 
primary or inflammatory stage, and should be given alternately every hour 
until a perceptible change occurs in the pulse and respiration, and then at 
intervals of three or four hours. After the inflammatory symptoms have 
disappeared give a few drops of arsenic or digitalis to promote the action 
of the kidneys and prevent effusion. Observe the same general care as to 
stabling, diet and other particulars as was laid down for Pneumonia. 
If there be evidences of water in the chest, consult the remarks on 
Hvdrothorax. 

BROKEN WIND.— HEAVES. 

This disorder is most common in low-bred and cart horses, and is a 
difficulty in breathing, marked by a double expulsion of the breath, with 
fits like those of asthma. It originates in disorder of the nerves of the 
lungs and stomach, or rupture of some air-cells, and is excited by irregular 
work, improper feeding, such as clover-hay, or any dusty hay. It may 
follow chronic cough, or inflammation of the lungs and bronchial tubes. 

Symptoms. — Short, suppressed, and very feeble cough, often attended 
with expulsion of wind from the anus; breathing consists of one effort at 
drawing in air and two at expelling it; indigestion, with oats and hay in the 
dung; when the animal draws a heavy load or trots rapidly, the flanks 
heave violently, with a wheeze in the breathing in many cases, not all, 
which does not cease at once when the animal is brought to rest; when the 
horse is in the stable, if the ear is applied to the chest, especially at night, 
a wheeze and rattle are heard, which are sometimes sonorous; suppressed 
natural murmur- of breathing, with increased resounding from a stroke, 
and difficulty of breathing. 

Treatment. — Broken wind, in early stages, is curable; after it has 
run a considerable time without treatment, it can only be relieved. Give 



116 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

arsenicum when there exist a wheezing cough and sound when breathing j 
short, hurried, difficult breathing when going up a hill. Give nux vomica 
when the symptoms are aggravated, especially those showing indigestion,, 
such as passage of hay and oats, windy stomach and intestines, and thin y 
seedy appearance of the animal. One of the best remedies for this disorder,, 
and one which rarely fails to give relief, is lobelia. It should be given in 
doses of a half-teaspoonful to a teaspoonful of the tincture two or three 
times a day. The following formula will also be found useful: 

Tincture of lobelia, 4 ounces. 

Fowler's Solution, % ounce. 

Iodide of potassa. I ounce. 

Water, 4 ounces. 

Mix. 
Give a teaspoonful three times a day. Give the best and most nourish- 
ing food frequently, but in small quantities, avoiding chaff and dusty hay* 
Do not give more than five pounds of hay in a day, but increase the allow- 
ance of carrots, barley, oats, and boiled corn, observing a rational alterna- 
tion in their use. Impose slow work or three or four hours daily of walk- 
ing, but give no exercise soon after eating a meal. 

THICK WIND. 

Thick wind often results from pneumonia or bronchitis, and is most 
frequently found in low-bred horses with badly-shaped chests, which eat 
ravenously. It is a thickening of the membranes lining the bronchial tubes, 
so that the horse, when violently worked after feeding, or when the stomach 
is full, has defective breathing, with blowing but not noise. 

Symptoms. — Short, quick, difficult breathing during any exertion, 
especially while ascending a hill. 

Treatment. — This is incurable, but is relieved by the use of arseni- 
cum, nux vomica, ammonium causticum and bryonia, and by the general 
care to be observed in Broken Wind (previous section). 

WHISTLING.— ROARING— BLOWING. 

An obstruction of the air-passages produces sounds of differing char- 
acter, and from these the horse is called a whistler, roarer, blower, g runt er y 
and the like. These difficulties are often taken from the sire or dam, and 
are promoted by laryngitis, bronchitis, and other respiratory diseases; also 
by the inflammation which often results from tight reins, and from always 
driving a horse on the same side, by which the muscles of the larynx on the 



THE HORSE THE RESPIRATORY ORGANS. 117 

side next to the other horse are not exerted as much as the others and thus 
become weak (the horse then becomes a roarer, even without inflamma- 
tion). Tumors and other swellings, mechanical injuries, indeed anything 
that obstructs breathing, may cause the disorder. 

Symptoms. — Generally a harsh or sawing noise in tne drawing in of 
the breath when the horse is put on a canter or gallop; in some cases it is 
sonorous, in some, whistling; in extreme cases, the noise is heard both in 
taking in and in expelling the breath. The disorder is best determined by 
galloping the horse to produce the sound. Another method is to hold the 
bridle and alarm the horse by a threatened blow with a stick, when the 
breath will be sudden, and accompanied with a grunt or roar if this trouble 
exists. In acute cases the larynx is inflamed. 

Treatment. — Give belladonna for recent inflammation of the mem- 
brane of the larynx, and kali bichromicum for ulceration of this membrane. 
Chronic roaring can not be cured, though the cutting out of some of the 
funnel-shaped cartilage on the larynx, the use of a tube in the windpipe, 
and a strap passed around the nose so as to limit the ingress of air, are said 
to have been applied with advantage by an expert. 

SPASM OF THE DIAPHRAGM.— HICCOUGH. 

This is a spasmodic contraction of the diaphragm, or the muscular 
wall which separates the chest from the abdomen. It is caused by irregu- 
lar nervous influence which results from long work upon an empty stom- 
ach, or quick work without preparatory training. 

Symptoms. — The heart-beats may be heard on either side, and are un- 
naturally loud and quick, though their force is not increased as much as the 
sound; almost imperceptible pulse; heaving of the sides; flanks move little 
or not at all, but are unusually full; hiccough is always present, being a 
sudden contraction of the breathing muscles, especially of the diaphragm, 
followed by an equally sudden relaxation, causing a rapid taking of breath, 
whose suddenness and force will be observed. Carefully distinguish this 
from Palpitation of the Heart, and compare the symptoms of the latter. 

Treatment. — The disorder generally yields to treatment in a very 
short time. Give nux vomica every half-hour, or stannum once in one, two, 
or four hours. The horse should not be driven rapidly or a long distance. 

NASAL GLEET. 

We apply this term to any chronic discharge from one or both nos- 
trils, whether it originates in the nasal chambers, in the nasal cavities, in 



118 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

the pouches of the throat, in disease of the bones of the face, in caries of 
the teeth, or in loss of nervous power. The symptoms of the disease aris- 
ing from these respective causes are sufficiently distinct to warrant a divi- 
sion into the five classes given below, under which the special treatment 
needed for a particular form will be given as it is demanded, with the 
remedies and their applications for all placed last. It is important to 
study this disease carefully; it is serious, but undue concern has been some- 
times felt at its appearance, because it has been mistaken for glanders. 

(l). SIMPLE NASAL GLEET. 

This results from simple catarrh that has been neglected. 

Symptoms. — Its symptoms are a whitish, yellowish, or greenish dis- 
charge of varying quantity from one or both nostrils, sometimes partially 
lumpy and clotted, and adhering to the sides of the nostrils; nasal mem- 
brane of a dull, leaden color and unhealthy look ; in horses of low condition 
ulcers may appear close to the exterior of the nostrils, though this symptom 
indicates a transition to glanders; the gland under one or both jaws is 
slightly swollen, but not adhering to the jaw-bone, though perhaps tender j 
appetite poor; strength reduced; coat staring; work done languidly; nasal 
dischai-ge exceedingly offensive, especially in poorly-ventilated stables. 

(2). PUS IN THE SINUSES. 

After severe catarrh dense pus sometimes fills the cavities of the nose 
and face and escapes from the nostrils. 

Symptoms. — The symptoms are a swelling of the glands under the 
jaw; swelling of the face on the affected side; the escape of the pus is im- 
peded. The presence of pus in the cavities may be determined by tapping 
with the hand on the side supposed to contain it; its presence will be 
marked by a dull sound. If but one side be affected, the dull sound of the 
diseased side will be in contrast with the hollow sound of the healthy one. 

Beside the treatment hereafter noted, a circular piece of bone must be 
removed by a veterinary surgeon, half-way between the margin of the 
orbit of the eye and the middle line of the head, and a similar opening be 
made into the jaw-bone above the cheek-bone. Then remove the matter 
thoroughly with tepid water and a syringe, following this up thi'ee times 
a day with an injection of hydrastis-lotion. 

(3). PUS IN THE POUCHES OF THE THROAT. 

The inflammation and formation of pus attending nasal catarrh may 
extend to the throat, where the pouches collect pus as in strangles. The 



THE HORSE THE RESPIRATORY ORGANS. 119 

pus may escape into the nose or the throat, or pass through the skin by an 
onening at the angle of the jaw. If it escape by the nose, the discharge is 
usually from one nostril, and the glands under the jaw are enlarged. There 
may be no pus on the other side, or it may be there shut up and solidified. 
The nasal discharge comes and goes at regular or irregular intervals. 
When the matter passes into the throat, it threatens suffocation. Occa- 
sionally an opening occurs both in the throat and at the angle of the jaw, 
when the pouch is enormous, the amount of pus very great, and the ulcera- 
tion very considerable. If both sides are affected, the breathing n;ay be 
difficult, and suffocation threatened. Should the horse in addition rear up, 
and have a thick, gummy coat, glanders may be reasonably suspected. 

In addition to the remedies hereafter named, it is very useful to turn 
the horse loose and let him feed from the ground or floor. Indeed, in 
some mild cases cures have been effected by allowing the horse to go into 
the yard or field where his head is nearly always hanging down. In this 
way the pus naturally falls through the nostrils, while the nose very often 
remains dry if the same horse is tied to the rack. An injection of iodine 
twice a day should be given by a skillful practitioner, and the same medi- 
cine administered internally. It may be necessary to perform an operation 
for the removal of the pus and the washing out of the pouch with a lotion 
ofhydrastis or iodine; the operation can be done only by a practitioner. 

(4). ABSCESS OF A DISEASED BONE. 

After severe catarrh, especially in colts, an abscess may occur on the 
bone in one side of the head. 

Symptoms. — The symptoms are swelling and inflammation of the 
nasal membrane; difficult breathing, often causing a suspicion of polypus; 
the nasal discharge is variable, occurs when the head is raised, and may be 
preceded by a strangling cough. An operation by a surgeon may be needed. 

(5). CARIES OF THE BONES OF THE FACE. 

A nasal discharge sometimes follows an organic disease of the nasal or 
upper maxillary bones, or of those on the side of the head ; or it may be 
caused by the presence of foreign matter in the nasal chamber, or by a pro- 
jecting tooth, perhaps carous. 

Symptoms. — The symptoms of this disorder are a flow of matter only 
from the affected side, very offensive, often tinged with blood and mingled 
with particles of dead bone; the lymphatic glands are swollen but do not 
adhere to the bone. The foreign substance, the tooth causing the trouble, 
or the diseased bone, must be removed. 



120 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

Treatment for All Forms. — Give hydrastis for copious discharge 
of adherent glue-like matter; enlarged glands under the jaws; inflamed 
nasal membrane; staring coat; constipation; scanty and high-colored urine. 
Potassa bichromate is demanded by a discharge of thick, yellow or green- 
ish pus, very offensive; swollen glands; quickened breath and pulse. 
Mercurius is valuable for all offensive discharge of mucus mingled with 
pus; glands enlarged and tender; nasal membrane appearing red, as if full 
of blood-vessels; sneezing; sore throat; also when the bone is diseased. 
Give iodide of arsenic for a free discharge of a thin, irritating fluid which 
induces rawness of the edges of the nose; relapses of the disease, and at- 
tacks resulting from exposure to cold and wet; loss of flesh, appetite and 
strength. Fowler's Solution has also been beneficially used for the condi- 
tions named for iodide of arsenic, and five to ten drops may be taken two 
or three times a day. Though internal remedies will suffice for cases that 
have not continued long, about a half-pint of either of the following injec- 
tions may aid such internal remedies, and it may be necessary in some 
instances, especially in advanced stages, for a surgeon to administer them: 
(i). Tincture of iodine, two drachms in a pint of water. (2). Bichromate 
of potash, one drachm in a pint of water. (3). Hydrastia, a half-ounce in 
a pint of water., (4). Sugar of lead, one drachm in a pint of water. (5). 
Sulphate of zinc, one drachm in a pint of water. The first is the best. 

BLEEDING AT THE NOSE. 

This is caused by weakness of the blood-vessels, or by an increase of 
the volume of blood in the nasal membrane as a result of excessive ex- 
ertion. It is often only a symptom of glanders, polypus, or other ailment. 
It may also result from a blow or wound. 

Symptoms. — The form which is symptomatic of another disorder will 
be easily recognized, as also that which results from a blow or wound. 
We need then to give a description of that which comes from weakness of 
the blood-vessels. It may be either active or passive. The active is most 
common in horses that are fat or have an excess of blood, and unless it re- 
sults from quick work, may be regarded as an inflammatory disease of the 
membrane, the blood flooding the membrane and extending from the capil- 
laries, which are weakened by pressing of blood and lack of cool air. 
There is a full, bounding pulse, with other feverish symptoms of derange- 
ment. In the passive, the fever-disturbance is not present. This form 
gives little occasion for fear of fatal results, but it should be carefully re- 
garded, as it may be only the beginning of glanders. 

This disease may be confounded with bleeding from the lungs, though 



THE HORSE THE RESPIRATORY ORGANS. 121 

its flow of blood is found only in one nostril in the great majority of cases, 
while in bleeding from the lungs it comes from both, is accompanied with 
coughing and is more or less frothy, escaping also from the mouth. 

Treatment. — When the bleeding results from disease, that disease 
must be treated. Aconite should be given for acute bleeding not resulting 
from another disease — ten drops every ten minutes until the bleeding stops, 
and then every four hours for a day or two. Arnica is better, given inter- 
nally and applied locally as an injection, when a local injury causes the 
bleeding. It is also good for the passive cases, given once in ten minutes 
while the flow continues. Extract of hamamelis may be used internally 
and locally, and is an efficient remedy. Cold water dashed on the face is a 
valuable aid. It may be applied by saturated cloths often changed, or 
poured on from a considerable height. It may be well to tie the head up 
above its normal height. In persistent cases, throw into the nostril a spray 
of dilute alum-water, or salt-water, and even plugging of one nostril (both 
must never be closed at the same time) with pieces of lint or soft cotton, 
fastened by a cord with which to withdraw them, may be required. Give 
a diet of bran-mashes during the treatment. Avoid tight collars, 

POLYPUS IN THE NOSE. 

This is a soft tumor hanging on a stem on the mucous membrane or 
■cartilages of the nose. It is streaked with blood-vessels, is so spongy as 
to take in and retain air and dampness, which makes it grow larger in 
damp weather than in dry. There may be one or more. 

Symptoms. — At first, obstructed breathing in the affected nostril, in 
which the passage of air will finally be wholly stopped; deformity of the 
bones of the face; nasal gleet or roaring may first call attention to the 
trouble in the nostril; by looking up the nostril one may see a pear-shaped, 
inelastic, movable polypus, which seldom bleeds; striking on the affected 
part produces a dull sound; sometimes a mattery discharge, and occasion- 
ally bleeding. These tumors may form in the closed cavities and pharynx. 

Treatment. — A practitioner may remove the tumor by cutting, tor- 
sion or ligatures. Torsion is the snatching away of the tumor with for- 
ceps, and may injure the nasal membrane and the bone to which the tumor 
is attached, and may also cause considerable bleeding, though it is not 
dangerous. If the tumor be low down, any one may firmly tie a strong, 
fine string ai'ound the stem, leaving it there until it causes the tumor to 
drop off. If it be high up, it may be necessary for a surgeon to slit the 
false nostril before the polypus can be removed. After removal a solution 
of nitric acid should be injected into the nostril to prevent a reappearance. 




SKETCH OF THE HORSE. 
Principal Points and Parts to be Examined for Defects, Injuries and Disease. 



Muzzle. 16. 

Place of Fistula from Teeth. 

Place of Mumps. 

Place of Poll-evil. 

Angle of Jaw. 17, 

6. Crest. 

Place of Fistula from Vein. iS. 

Throttle, Thropple, or Wind- 
pipe. 

Shoulder- point: place of ig, 
Sores from Harness. 20. 

10. Shoulder-blade. 21, 

Withers; sometimes the seat 22. 
of Fistula: height of horses 24. 
reckoned from the ground to 25. 
the Withers. 

Front of Chest or Breast. 26, 

13. The True Arm. 

Elbow; sometimes the seat 27. 
of Tumors. 28. 

Arm, or Fore-arm. 



Knee, or Wrist; sometimes 

swelled, havinjr a fungous 

growth ; or the skin may have 

been broken. 

17. Back Sinew: place of 

Curb. 

Place of Disease of Skin 
above the Coronet — Crown 
scab. 
19. Fetlock, or Pastern - joint. 

Coronet. 
21. Heel. 

Contracted Hoof. 

Mallenders; 24A, Sallenders. 

Seat of Splint, or Exostosis, 
on side of Cannon-bone. 
26, 26. Seats of Bursal En 
larg-ements. 

Back, or spine. 

Place of Saddle- galls. 



29. 29. Girth, or Circumference 

in Measurement. 

30. Place of Injury from Pres- 
sure of Girth. 

31. Barrel, or Middle-piece. 

32. Loins. 

33. t roup. 

34. Haunch. 

35. Flank. 

56. Seat of Warts. 

37. Sheath, or Prepuce. 

38. 3S. Gas-skin, or Lower Thigh, 

39. Root of the Dock, or Tail. 

40. Hip-joint — Round or Whirl- 
bone. 

41. Rat tail. 

42. The Quarters. 

43. Point of the Hock: seat o£ 
Capped -hock. 

44,44. Cannon-bone. 
45. Place of Spavin. 
40, 46. Hoof. 



V12 




CHAPTER VI. 
THE SKIN. 

ERUPTIONS. 

these the Jirst kind are very small elevations, some of which 
contain a dry, chalk-like substance, while others discharge a sticky 
fluid that mats the adjacent hair, and then dry up; the second are 
most frequent in horses with a great supply of blood, especially 
in hot weather, and they come and go suddenly, some being irregular 
lumps, from the size of a pea to that of a walnut, others flat, covering a 
space several inches in circumference. They are found in groups over the 
body, occasionally becoming soft and discharging a gluey fluid, but gener- 
ally leaving suddenly without this manifestation. In some cases of the 
second kind fever-symptoms are marked, in others they are obscure if 
they exist at all. Among the causes are a change of food, shedding, sud- 
den stoppage of sweat from drinking cold water when the animal is 
heated, indigestion, overfeeding and insufficient work. 

Treatment. — Nux vomica is the most approved remedy for the first 
kind of eruptions named, given in ten-drop doses three times a day for four 
days; the same has proved beneficial for the second kind. If nux vomica 
fails to reduce the symptoms, give five to ten drops of Fowler's Solution, 
two or three times a day. Give bran-mashes and green food for a few 
days. The reader must not expect that all eruptions and "pimples" can 
be cured by this treatment, or by any other single one. The functions of 
the skin are more complicated and important than most people suppose,, 
and their derangement or interruption will induce grave disorders. They 
are very similar to those of the skin in man, and the reader should carefully 
note the remarks made in Ruddock's Family Doctor, pages 344-382. 
He will ' infer therefrom that eruptions on the skin are very often 
symptoms of some serious disease, and that attempts to remove them 
or drive them back are liable to produce great injury. When they are 
symptomatic of some disease, treat the disease before attempting to ef- 
fect their cure. 

123 



124 



THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

SURFEIT.— PRURIGO. 



Surfeit is an excessive itching with no visible cause, most common 
in colts during- breaking, and in horses put to work in warm weather fresh 
from the pasture. It is caused by sudden change from green to dry food, 
too much or too stimulating food, want of work, bad food, and low 
condition. Prurigo is here considered a form of surfeit. 

Symptoms. — Itching and rubbing, the hair being thus removed from 
the affected parts; rough, scaly patches, especially at the roots of the tail 




A Horse with Surfeit. 



and mane; possibly raw places. The miscroscope can detect no parasites, 
as it can in mange. 

Treatment. — Remove the cause, if it be insufficient work, heating 
food, poor or deficient feeding, and make the requisite change. Give the 
horse a good grooming, without brush or comb. Give an occasional sweat. 
For fever, heated skin, great itching in well-fed horses with much blood, 
•give belladonna. Arnica is preferable for poor condition and deranged di- 
gestion. Relieve the parts which itch most by applying a liniment com- 
posed of one drachm of carbolic acid and two ounces of glycerine. 

GREASE AND SCRATCHES. 

Grease is an inflammation and ulceration of the skin on the lower 
parts of the legs, with a greasy discharge. Its causes are hereditary weak- 
ness of the skin, mainly in low-bred horses; cold and moisture; sudden 



THE HORSE— THE SKIN. 



125 



changes from cold to heat; deranged action of the skin; chapped heels- 
Scratches are closely allied to grease, though caused by exposure to mud,, 
wet, and neglect in cleaning the legs. 

Symptoms. — In the Jirst stage, sometimes fever-symptoms; the legs„ 
especially the hind ones, swollen about the hock; red and inflamed skin at 
the heel; pain from handling the leg, causing the horse to snatch it up and 
thrust it out awkwardly; straddling gait, with hind legs apart. In the 
second stage, sloughy and unhealthy cracks or ulcers in the skin, extending 
around the leg, give out an oily-looking discharge, which wets the skin 
and may drip from the hair; the cracks are found on the back part of and 





Exudation in the First Stage of Grease. 



Cracks in the Second Stage of Grease.. 



above the fetlock, and their discharge increases the inflammation and 
ulceration of the limb. In the third stage, irregular fungous growth, from 
the size of a pea to that of a walnut, at the bottoms of the cracks, full of 
blood-vessels which bleed upon handling; the discharge becomes very offen- 
sive and pus-like, destroying most of the hair and leaving the balance 
bristling; the excrescences are red (called "grapes " from their appearance), 
and finally become cartilaginous. To avoid confusing Grease with Farcy,, 
consult the table of symptoms given in the section devoted to the latter. 

Scratches consist in little scaly sores, which become covered with thin 
scabs, and are likely to be tender and annoying until dry weather has come 
on in spring, unless treated promptly. 

Treatment. — For Grease, put on a turnip or linseed poultice.. 
Give exercise morning and evening, bandaging the legs after removing the 
poultice. Smear glycerine over the parts three times daily. Give bran- 
mashes for food. Give ten drops of Fowler's Solution of arsenic three 
times a day, and it will often effect a cure, if promptly given. In the second 
stage, with ulceration, cut off the long hair from the affected part and 
foment twice a day; dry the leg, and lightly smear over the cracks a lini- 



126 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

nient of one drachm of Fowler's Solution of arsenic and one ounce of gly- 
cerine. This failing, foment the leg, gently dry, and apply four times a 
day a lotion of one drachm of ruta and one ounce of water. Give arseni- 
•cum internally three times a day. In the third stage, with " grapes," if the 
growths be large or hard, they may be removed by caustics, as sulphuric 
acid, chloride or sulphate of zinc, applied every second or third day; or 
they may be removed with a sharp knife, the bleeding surface being then 
touched with caustic. If they be small, with very offensive discharge, add 
to six parts of carbolic acid one part glycerine, and apply with a very soft 
brush. After this a speedy cure may generally be effected by a lotion com- 
posed of one drachm of carbolic acid and two ounces of glycerine. Liquor 
arsenicalis and sulphuric acid lotions have proved beneficial, with ai-senicum 
three times daily internally. The diet should be soft and nutritious, such 
as bran-mashes and good, clean clover. 

For Scratches, the above internal remedies are recommended. Apply 
externally a mixture of aloes and glycerine, or camphorated alcohol and 
chloral. Corn and other heating food should be restricted or avoided. 
When the horse has been in the mud in the spring, the legs should be 
thoroughly washed and rubbed dry upon being taken to the stable, and it 
is well also to rub on some kind of pure grease or oil after such cleansing. 
Indeed, the dressing of oil and grease has often been of much benefit in 
treating cases of scratches, and it is excellent as a preventive, well rubbed 
in before the horse is taken out for travel in the mud. 

CHAPPED OR CRACKED HEELS. 

This disorder is caused by washing the heels and not drying at once, 
over-feeding, want of work, the coating process and heredity. 

Symptoms. — Sometimes the first symptom is swelling of the lower 
part of the legs, with cracks and watery discharges at the back part of the 
pastei - n. At other times, there will be red and tender skin in the hollow 
of the pastern; drying up of the secretion and consequent cracking; lame- 
ness. The cracks bleed upon motion and become ulcerated, giving out a 
thin, burning discharge "which increases the swelling and heat; bottoms 
of the cracks sloughing and unhealthy; sometimes fever and impaired 
appetite. 

Treatment. — Clip the hair from the edges of the crack and apply to 
the heel a warm turnip or linseed poultice if much fever be present, and 
give bran-mashes and green food for diet. When the inflammation begins 
to subside, discontinue poultices and apply morning and evening, with a 
soft sponge, a lotion of one drachm of liquor arsenicalis and two ounces of 



THE HORSE THE SKIN. 127 

-water; before using the lotion, wash the cracks with soap and water and 
gently dry the heel. In the absence of much inflammation, the disorder not 
being an outgrowth of constitutional disease, apply morning and evening 
a liniment of one drachm of liquor arsenicalis to one ounce of glycerine. 
When the inflammation is not very active, good results may be secured by 
a dry flannel bandage applied moderately tight around the leg. Give 
arsenicum three times a day. Put on high-heeled shoes, and give two 
hours in walking exercise daily. Exercise care during coating. 

MANGE.— ITCH. 

This is an itching and scaling of che skin from the presence of para- 
sites under the surface. It is caused by a poor and weak condition, with 
want of cleanliness. It is contagious, though it is seldom transmitted to 
strong, well-kept horses, and then does not spread among them. 

Symptoms. — Itching, soon followed by falling of hair and scaling of 
skin; small vesicles form on the skin, burst, and discharge a fluid which 
forms into a scab; this being removed, the microscope detects very small 




Test for Mange. 

insects. Later, the skin lies in hard folds, especially about the neck, and 
becomes raw and ulcerated by repeated rubbing; in advanced stages fever 
appears, with loss of flesh and sometimes dropsical indications. The neck, 
shoulders, back, quarters and abdomen are the parts most affected. The 
attendant may take the itch by contagion. 

Treatment. — Give arsenicum night and morning in cases with 
scabby sores and red, burning ulcers, with hard-crusted edges. It is valuable 
when the horse is in low condition. Mercurius is needed if there be raw 
sores or pustular formations. To destroy the parasites, use the above inter- 
nal remedies and in addition put on the affected parts and thoroughly rub in 
a liniment composed of three ounces of oil of tar and one pint of train oil, 
first carefully washing the parts with soft soap and warm water, and drying 
with care. Repeat the process in three or four days. Three ounces of 
sulphur and a pint of oil make a good ointment. Carbolic acid, one part 



128 the veterinary doctor. 

to thirty-two of water, is highly recommended; one dressing may be suffi- 
cient, and may be washed off in two days. Should these applications fail 
to destroy the parasites, saturate the parts daily with a lotion of two ounces 
of liquor arsenicalis and one pint of water. A very desirable remedy is 
made of one ounce of pure carbolic acid and one pint of glycerine, a little 
being daily rubbed upon the bare patches, or lightly put on the sores. In. 
extreme cases, the following lotion may be applied, not less tha?t a iveek 
apart: One half-drachm of corrosive sublimate mixed with two ounces of 
spirits of wine, then adding one pint of glycerine. Because of its cheap- 
ness and efficacy, the tar-liniment first named should be tried before other 
remedies, unless it be the diluted carbolic acid. Give soft, nutritious food,, 
including green diet. 

Use one of these applications in cleansing all harness, brushes and 
combs used about the horse, as well as all posts, trees, boards or other 
objects against which the animal has been rubbing, both in the stable and 
out of doors; boil, for a long time, all blankets that have been used. 

LICE. 

Lice may be found on horses, especially those of long, shaggy coats 
and lean condition. They may come from dirt, old straw, fowls roosting 
about the stall, and other sources, or from contact with another horse. 

Sy?nptoms. — The horse bites his quarters and sides, rubs against any 
object in reach, tearing the skin in patches; lice on the bare patches are seem 

Treatment. — Boil one ounce of tobacco in a pint and a half of water 
down to a pint, strain, add forty grains of white arsenic, and then boil a 
little again. Wash the parts with the preparation. Another excellent 
expedient is to rub into the roots of the hair powdered white precipitate, 
removing it the third day by good brushing, and keeping the horse dry 
while this is on him. Keep the stable thoroughly clean; burn all infected 
litter and clothing; wash the harness with hot water. 

ITCHING OF THE MANE AND TAIL. 

This is usually caused by neglecting to keep the roots of these parts 
clean. It is in many cases cured by washing with strong salt-water. 
Another method is to wash the parts with soap and water and apply lard 
and blue ointment in equal parts, meanwhile keeping the horse dry. 
Though such itching often points to mange or lice, it does not always do 
so. Its chief injury is in a disfigurement of the mane and tail from the 
rubbimr. 



THE HORSE THE SKIN. 

HIDE-BOUND. 



129 



Hide-bound is a sticking of the skin to the ribs, either as a symptom 
of some disease internally, or as a result of absorption of the adipose matter 
and fat under the skin. Sometimes the abdomen is distended with wind, or 
is contracted and tucked up. 

Treatment. — If it results from another disease, that must be removed 
by the proper treatment. In cases of indigestion, a very common cause, 
give ten drops of nux vomica three times a day. Steep a pint of linseed 
in boiling water and add it to a bran-mash, giving this every night. If 
the horse be poor, give soft, nutritious diet, as clover and other green food. 



MALLENDERS AND SALLENDERS. 

These are unsightly scurfy eruptions on the back of the knee and front 
of the hock respectively. They are caused by washing the legs and not 
properly drying, and by bad grooming. 

Sytnfitoms. — Cracks or scurf on the back of the knee or bend of the 
hock; itching; sometimes lameness. Previous to this there might have 
been an eruption with a fluid oozing out 
and forming a scab with mingled dirt and 
pieces of cuticle, sometimes ending in ulcer- 
ations, like cracks at the heels. 

Treatment. — Soften the scurf night 
and morning with warm watei", and dress 
with a preparation of one drachm of car- 
bolic acid and two ounces of glycerine. 
Or give arsenicum internally and apply 
externally a preparation of one drachm 

Mallen- - .. .. j , c 

ders— back of or liquor ai-senicahs and two ounces or 
glycerine. Thuja is a valuable internal 
and external remedy; for external use add one part of the tincture to two 
of glycerine. A wash made by steeping the leaves of the arbor vitae is 
also useful and convenient. 





Sallenders — 
Front of Hock. 



RING-YVOR M.— TETTER. 

This is an eruption of the skin which results from low condition; bad 
food; sudden change of food, even if from bad to good; contagion, the 
groom himself being thus liable to it. 

Sy?nptoms. — White scaly scurf, more often on the neck, shoulders or 




130 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

quarters, spreading out in a circular form one or two inches in diameter, 
composed of pimples with raised edges; itching; scales and hair fall; 
pimples disappear, leaving nothing but scurf and loss of hair. Sometimes 
however it takes the form of pustules in limited patches, giving out a dis- 
charge which mats the hair; a crust then forms that is easily removed; small 
cavities are underneath, some containing pus. 

Treatment. — Give bran-mashes at night, and arsenicum night and 
morning. In the dry form, apply daily a preparation of one half-drachm of 
carbolic acid to one ounce of glycerine. In the humid form, remove the 
scabs and dress the sores daily with a mixture of one drachm of liquor ar- 
senicalis to one ounce of water, giving rhus or arsenicum in a wine glass- 
ful of water three times daily. Promote the general health. 

WARTS. 

Warts are excrescences of varying size, spongy and readily bled, or hard 
and dry, occurring singly on the belly, sheath, and inside of the thigh, or 
in clusters on the face, nose, ears, and eyelids. They may have a broad 
base, or stand or hang on a stem. They are probably caused by deranged 
secretion of the skin. 

Treatment. — Remove any that are on a stem or small base by tying 
ligatures firmly around the base and leaving them until the warts fall off; 
the application of caustics is still better. If the wart be broad and moist, 
or if large and very "seedy," and bleeds easily, scrape the surface raw 
with the thumb nail (if not already raw), moisten the finger, dip it in 
powdered arsenic, and put a slight layer on the raw surface, leaving it 
thus. The wart will usually drop off, after one application, in ten to twen- 
ty days, never growing again. If clusters of small warts appear on the 
face and about the eyes, wet the warts three times a day with thuja; if this 
does not succeed, use rhus in the same way. Sometimes the wart has no 
attachment to the skin other than a sac which incloses it. In such cases, 
cut the sac, squeeze out the wart, and the cut will heal at once. 

ERYSIPELAS. 

This is a spreading painful inflammation which frequently affects the 
underlying parts, or even the internal organs. It may be communicated 
by one animal to another. Among its predisposing causes are foul air or 
food, debility from diseases, as those of the liver and kidneys, absorption of 
poisonous matters through a sore, as cracked heel in the horse, green buck- 
wheat as food, sudden suppression of the secretions of the skin, unhealthy 



THE HORSE THE SKIN. 131 

lodgings, proximity to decaying animal and vegetable matter. The excit- 
ing causes are local irritations, as from chafing in work, rubbing of harness, 
corroding medicines on the skin, bites and stings of insects, burns, scalds, 
dropsy, wounds, open sores exposed to accumulations of rotting manure or 
other matter. 

Symptoms. — The first symptom is usually a fever, followed by loss 
of appetite; dullness; quickened pulse and breath; hot skin; constipation; 
scanty, high-colored urine; elevated temperature at the rectum ; then spread- 
ing, hot, tender, slimy, itching swelling, very often stalling from some sore, 
though not always; the inflammation may extend to the underlying tissues, 
or may be dropsical in its character; the border of the swelling is abrupt; 
the skin is tense, pits on pressure, perhaps shows pimples and is more or 
less red, the shade being deeper on a clear, white skin. After some days 
either the swelling and redness subside, and the sores dry into scales which 
drop off and leave a dark-red and tender surface; or cracks appear with 
sores which have little tendency to heal. In the horse, the head, chest, 
belly and hind limbs are especially subject to a dropsical swelling. 

Treatment. — Rhus is one of the best remedies in the treatment of 
this disorder, especially when blisters form, accompanied by fever and a hot, 
rapidly-spreading swelling. Arsenicum should be given when cracked 
heel is the cause, and will be found to be a good general remedy, especially 
if pus has formed. Apply to the parts warm fomentations of a weak solu- 
tion of tincture of muriate of ammonia, or of sulphate of zinc, protecting 
the sore then from cold air. A dry application of zinc and starch is also 
recommended. Iodized adhesive plaster may also be of service, especially 
in checking the spread of the swelling. If matter has formed, let it out. 

GALLS. 

Galls are caused by a badly-fitting saddle or collar; by the harness or 
girth; by bad riding; by removing a saddle too soon after a ride, before 
the horse becomes cool. 

Treatment. — For saddle-galls, with deep bruising of the tissues, 
apply one part of arnica to nine of water once in four hours, with a soft rag 
or sponge, keeping the injured surface covered from exposure to the air 
and insects. If there be soft tumors arising from inflammation, open the 
swellings, squeeze out the contents, and put in a few drops of arnica tinc- 
ture, if the cause be friction of the saddle. When the swelling, from neg- 
lect or frequent recurrence, becomes hard and the skin thickened and half 
dead, the sore perhaps being partially separated all around from the healthy 
skin, the tumor may be cut out and the sore dressed with tincture of calen- 



132 the; veterinary doctor. 

dula, at the same time giving internally six drops of the same, thoroughly 
mixed with a little water. Equal parts of Venetian turpentine and lard 
make a good application; and equal parts of mercurial ointment and lard 
are beneficial. Of the three l'emedies the first is the best. Should the 
muscles of the back as well as the skin be injured, causing serous sacs in 
the skin, foment and apply arnica-lotion. This failing, lay open the sac 
and dress with calendula-lotion. Use care with the harness and saddle. 

WORMS IN THE SKIN. 

Worms in the skin are sometimes found in tumors, resulting from the 
gad-fly depositing its eggs. The tumor may be as large as a pigeon's egg, 
and more than one may be found. They occur mainly in the back and 
loins. To remove this trouble, put a few drops of carbolic-acid lotion 
where the eggs have been deposited, either before or after the hatching. 

BITES AND STINGS OF INSECTS. 

The irritation resulting from these may be relieved by applying exter- 
nally arnica-lotion. As a preventive of the biting, rub on the body, es- 
pecially the flanks, a strong infusion or tea of green elder-leaves. 




CHAPTER VII. 

THE URINARY AND GENERATIVE ORGANS. 

INFLAMMATION OF THE KIDNEYS. 

INFLAMMATION of the kidneys is not frequent, and is caused by bad 
food; kiln-dried oats; mow-burnt hay; exposure to cold and wet; 
injuries from blows, weights and other sprains; frequent doses of 
^pT strong medicines to promote the flow of urine, as cantharides, turpen- 
tine and nitre; gravel and other diseases. 

Symptoms. — Considerable fever; pain, indicated by looking at the 
loins, and by groans; loins tender; back arched; hind limbs stiff and far 
apart; horse stands still or moves stiffly and perhaps with lameness; fre- 




Position in Urinary Disorders in General. 



quent attempts to pass urine, the discharges being dark and scanty, some- 
times pussy and bloody. In advanced stages the pulse, at first full, hard 
.and rapid, becomes weak and wiry; breathing quick and short; intense 

133 




134 



THE HORSE THE URINARY AND GENERATIVE ORGANS. 135 

thirst; dry, hot mouth; skin dry; strong-smelling sweat; constipation; still 
later, exhaustion, indifference, sleepiness, and death. 

This may be distinguished from inflammation of the neck of the bladder 
by the brown or nearly black urine, which is of about the natural color in 
the latter disease. If the hand be oiled and passed up the rectum, the 
bladder will be found considerably enlarged if it be inflamed, while it is 
empty and contracted in the disorder which we are now treating. 

Treatment. — In the first stages of fever, indicated by full, rapid 
pulse, hot, dry mouth and skin, rapid breathing, thirst, scanty urine, and 
pain in the loins, give aconite. Tbis may be alternated with belladonna 
if relief be not given, or if there be hot loins, pain about the kidneys, indi- 
cated by the horse frequently looking anxiously at them, or if there be a 
wild, frightened look. Cantharis, if it has not previously been given, is 
beneficial for frequent passages of scanty urine, with difficult straining, and 
when the urine is tinged with blood. Rhus is demanded when sprains are 
the cause. This and arnica should also be applied externally. Camphor 
is useful when cantharis, given as Spanish-fly or otherwise, is the cause. If 
bad food be the cause, give nux vomica, the symptoms demanding it being 
unsuccessful efforts to pass urine, colicky pains, looking at the flanks, and 
constipation. Mercurius corrosivus is one of the best remedies in both acute 
and chronic cases, and its use is called for when the urine is scanty and 
passed with frequent urgings and great pain; it may be alternated with 
aconite or belladonna. A very common but pernicious course is a resort to 
diuretics, that is, stimulants to the action of the kidneys. These should not 
be used, for the scantiness Of the urine which it is desired to correct is due 
to engorgement of the kidneys, and the diuretics will aggravate the en- 
gorgement. Free perspiration is the best means for freeing the blood of 
the poisonous matters retained in consequence of the obstruction to the 
kidneys. Apply warm fomentations to the loins. Give bran-mashes and 
scalded linseed for food. Mix the drinking-water with linseed-tea, enough 
to make it glutinous without being distasteful to the animal. 

INFLAMMATION OF THE BLADDER. 

Inflammation of the bladder sometimes attends or follows inflamma- 
tion of the kidneys, or it may occur independently, caused by exposure to 
damp and cold; by injuries; by stone (see page 139); by giving nitre, 
Spanish-flv, or other strong medicines for the urinary organs. 

Symptoms. — Restlessness; mouth, throat and alimentary canal irri- 
tated and inflamed; difficult swallowing; hind legs tremble; testes drawn 
up; sexual excitement; mucous and bloody dung; rapid pulse; frequent 



136 



THE VETERINARY DOCTOR.. 



attempts to pass urine are unfruitful, or only a few drops pass with pain and 
difficulty, followed by a temporary cessation of pain; urine sometimes clear, 
at other times mixed with mucous or bloody matter, burning and instating; 
the parts around the bladder are hot and tender, and this organ is found 
very painful when examined through the rectum. If the disease is not ar- 
rested, the bladder fills and swells, its neck opens and urine dribbles away; 
prostration follows, with sweats, paralysis of the hind quarters, and finally 
death. 




Test for Inflammation of the Bladder. 

Treatment. — Give aconite for symptoms of fever; frequent, fruitless, 
painful attempts to pass urine ; pain on pressure of the parts near the bladder; 
urine scanty, muddy, or mixed with blood. Cantharis is demanded by dis- 
tended bladder and tenderness of adjacent parts; mattery and mucous urine 
passed in drops, the pain increasing during such passages. Should cantharis 
fail, give nux vomica. Injections of anodynes into the bladder, by skillful 
hands, are very useful for relieving the inflammation, and the following 
will be especially valuable: To one pint of gum-arabic water add one 
drachm of fluid hydrastia and one drachm of tincture of opium; inject this 
into the bladder luke-warm. In the general care, give freely of linseed or 
slippery-elm tea, or a strong solution of gum-arabic. Scalded linseed in 
bran-mashes is the best diet. Guard against the exciting causes. 



SPASM OF THE NECK OF THE BLADDER. 

This occurs as the result of prolonged retention of urine in horses that 
are worked or driven to excess, and as a consequence of chill when the 



THE HORSE — THE URINARY AND GENERATIVE ORGANS. 137 

animal is heated, or as an attendant of colic and irritation of the neck of 
the bladder. It is most common in males. 

Symptoms. — Frequent efforts to urinate, the urine passing in a few 
drops or dribbling away with some pain and straining; tenderness of the 
back; the hand passed up the rectum feels the distended bladder, the neck 
being tense and firm, not distended as in stone or gravel. If the bladder is 
not relieved of the urine, it is liable to burst and be followed by inflamma- 
tion of the peritoneum (peritonitis), an issue which is however less common 
in the horse than in the ox and sheep. 

Treatment. — The treatment consists in the use of antispasmodics, 
either in the rectum or mouth, chloral hydrate, belladonna, hyoscyamus and 
tobacco being the best. These may be injected into the rectum or given 
internally, or both. If these measures fail to relieve, a suitable catheter 
should be used by skillful hands to draw off the urine. Sometimes the 
•spreading of fresh bedding under the horse will promote the flow of urine. 

EVERSION OR FALLING OF THE BLADDER. 

This can occur only in the female, and is the result of severe straining 
■during irritation of the bladder. It is most liable to ensue from over- 
distension, difficult parturition, or paralysis. 

Symptoms. — The animal strains violently; between the lips of the 
vulva is seen a red, rounded mass, upon whose surface, near the neck, may 
be seen the mouths of two canals which convey the urine from the bladder, 
and from these mouths the urine escapes in drops. 

Treatment. — Return the bladder to its place "as follows: Wash the 
protruding mass in warm water, and oil it well; then oil the hands, press 
in the center of the mass, gently pushing it upward. If the neck of the 
bladder is swollen and inflamed, the greater care should be taken to avoid 
injury or rupture in its coats. If great straining continues after this opera- 
tion and threatens a recurrence, a surgeon should apply a truss or other 
mechanical appliance to retain the bladder firmly in its place. 

ALBUMINURIA.— BRIGHT'S DISEASE. 

This consists in an inflammation of the kidneys, attended with shed- 
ding of the coat and finally structural change of the kidneys. It may be 
either acute or chronic. The urine may contain albumen as a result of 
inflammatory disorders, and yet Bright's Disease not be present. The 
latter is always attended with albumen, but all cases of the presence of 
albumen are not Bright's Disease. 



138 



THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 



Symptoms. — The urine is thick, ropy, and contains parts of the lining 
of the urinary tubes which the microscope will detect; when it is boiled,, 
or subjected to the action of dilute nitric acid, it coagulates into whitish, 
flakes which settle at the bottom of a test-tube (see page 216). The animal 
is awkward behind in gait, with indisposition to lie down, and with more 
or less tenderness over the loins. The disease is usually fatal, the animal 
dying with dropsy or urasmic poisoning, though prompt and efficient 
treatment has cured some cases. 

Treatment. — Diuretics, that i.s, means of promoting increased secre- 
tion and passage of urine, should not be used, but rather such expedients,, 
both medicinal and general, as will relieve the kidneys of the performance 




A House with Aluminous Urine. 

of their usual functions, and reduce the inflammation. Among internal 
remedies belladonna and mercurius corrosivus are the best; they should be 
used in alternation and persisted in until the kidneys are relieved and the 
flow of urine becomes free, they being particularly demanded if the urine 
is bloody. Warm fomentations and mustard ■ should be applied about the 
loins. Keep the pores of the skin open by studious cleanliness and free 
perspiration, but guard against draughts and other influences likely to> 
induce colds. Resti"ict the diet to oatmeal gruels and the like, giving bran- 
mashes to keep the bowels open. See "Urinary System," page 45. 

DIABETES.— EXCESSIVE URINE. 



This causes great prostration, and may lead to glanders. If the urine, 
be clear, containing no sugar, the disorder is known as diabetes insipidus* 
If the urine is sugary, as is rarely the case, the disease is called diabetes.- 



THE HORSE- THE URINARY AND GENERATIVE ORGANS. l'SQt 

?nellitus. The chief causes are musty or mow-burnt hay, kiln-dried oats,, 
bran, and other dry or bad food; impure water; indigestion; chronic disease 
of the kidneys; strangles; the use of " condition balls," turpentine, nitre,, 
and the much-advertised specifics for horses; excessive drinking; certain 
plants in the pasture; cold and wet. Increased urine may result from ner- 
vous disorders, from change of food, and other causes, but should this be- 
only temporary, no attention need be paid to it. 

Symptoms. — Excessive thirst; impaired, capricious or depraved appe- 
tite; dry and clammy mouth; white and furred tongue; offensive breath;, 
dry skin and rough, staring coat; deranged digestion; constipation; urine 
clear, or somewhat milky, and passed in very great quantities; the horse is 
dull, weak, out of condition, and sweats easily; glanders may ensue and. 
prove fatal, or the horse may die from the diabetes any time within a year. 

Treatment. — Phosphoric acid should be given for profuse colorless- 
or milky urine; great thirst; sweats and loss of flesh ensuing from light 
exercise. Give arsenicum for weakness and emaciation; dry mouth; exces- 
sive thirst; sugary urine. Nux vomica is demanded for depraved appetite;. 
poor digestion; profuse, frequent, limpid urine; dung covered with mucus. 
If the urine be frequent and copious, with red, sand-like sediment, give- 
lycopodium. If the urine be copious, more so at night, muddy and offen- 
sive, or if it be brown-red, or if blood comes from the bladder, give mer- 
curius. Stop at once the use of any food that may have caused the dis- 
order, especially avoiding musty or very dry articles. 

SCANTY URINE.— RETENTION OF URINE. 

These disorders may result from inflammation of some urinary organ; 
from some obstruction forming in an organ; from excessive dung accumu- 
lated in the rectum; from falling of the womb; from diminished secretion,, 
owing to the perspiration incident to hot weather or hard work. 

Treatment. — If the cause be some other disease, that must be 
treated. Should the horse be otherwise in apparently good health aside 
from decreased ui'ination, give bryonia or arsenicum three times a day.. 
Should the urine be retained in the bladder, which may be known by- 
passing the hand up the rectum to the bladder, it should be drawn off with 
a catheter in skillful hands, not by one who lacks experience. 

STONE.— GRAVEL. 

This is a deposit of solid earthy matter in the urinary organs, some- 
times only sandy and gritty, sometimes in the form of a stone, which may 



140 



THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 



be small, or, if in the bladder, may weigh several pounds. Among its 
most probable causes are earthy particles in the food and water, as grass 
"Town on limy soils or those supplied with phosphates as fertilizers; water 
chai-ged with salts of lime and magnesia; dry feeding; scanty urine from 
.any cause ; perhaps hard water. 

Symptoms. — Stone in the kidneys may be suspected, but not positively 
known, from tenderness of the loins, colicky pains, discharge of sand and 
blood with the urine. Stone in the bladder will be indicated by an awkward, 
straggling gait, with hind legs apart; frequent efforts at urination resulting 
in scanty and difficult discharges; the urine sometimes comes out suddenly, 
or may be as suddenly stopped, and sometimes it dribbles out and makes 
the legs and thighs sore; colicky pains; occasional discharges of blood and 
thick sediment. The stone, if large, may be felt by passing the hand up 
the rectum to the bladder. Stones in the canal leading from the bladder 
to the pelvis will cause colicky pains and stoppage of urine, with the gen- 
eral symptoms of inflammation of the kidneys. The foreskin may be 
.affected, causing distress in urination or actual stoppage of urine. 

Treatment. — The remedies laid down for Inflammation of the Blad- 
der should be adopted to relieve the disorder, though it can be cured only 
"by a surgeon who will break or cut the stones, when of sufficient size. 
Give soft water for drinking, with linseed-tea -or decoctions of mucilage 
freely administered. Keep the organs clean, and if sores are found, wash 
■with a lotion of calendula, one part to eight of water. 

BLOODY URINE. 



Bloody urine is not uncommon. It may be caused by some of the 
^urinary diseases before named; blows; strains from heavy loads, jumping 

and other causes; the use of 
Spanish-fly; foaling; the eating 
of poisonous plants, or the twigs 
of young trees; very rank herb- 
age; swampy jjasture; damp 
weather; occasionally hot days 
and cold, damp nights; anthrax 
and other diseases. 

Symptoms. — Urine red with 
blood, or has clots of blood, the 
latter part of a discharge being 
more noticeably bloody than the 
first. If the kidneys be affected, the horse stands in a singular posture; 
if the bladder be involved, the gait is stiff, and more blood passes than in 




A Horse Suffering from Uloody Urine. 



THE HORSE THE URINARY AND GENERATIVE ORGANS. 141 

kidney-complications. If injuries be the cause, the loins are painful, and 
clots of blood pass, with or without urine. If vegetable poison be the cause, 
the feverish symptoms of inflammation of the kidneys are present, with 
scanty, reddish urine, followed by painful, bloody, burning urine. 

Treatment. — If the cause be some other disorder, treat that disorder 
as directed under the proper section. If a blow about the loins or a strain 
be the cause, and blood is mixed with the urine, give arnica internally and 
apply externally. Throw cold water over the loins and inject it up the 
rectum. Rest should be given. Give aconite for feverish symptoms and 
strong urine. Cantharis is needed for forcible, painful efforts to urinate,, 
with blood or bloody urine passed. Turpentine is desirable for clotted 
blood passing from the bladder, and is useful if cantharis fails. Give soft 
food; also linseed-tea freely. If hurtful plants be the cause, remove the 
horse to another locality. 

FOUL. 

Foul is a term applied to horses that experience great trouble in 
urinating, chiefly in dry, hot, dusty weather. It is caused by a clogging of 
the sheath of the penis with dirt and urine. 

Symptoms. — The horse evinces much uneasiness; shifts the weight 
from one side to the other; stands with the hind legs apart; makes fre- 
quent efforts to urinate, but stops suddenly as if suffering from acute and 
darting pains. The urine dribbles away, and is more or less foul-looking 
and offensive; the sheath is swollen; the region of the bladder is distended 
from the retention of urine, and is sensitive to the touch. 

Treatment. — The only cure is in a thorough cleansing of the sheath 
with the hand, warm water and a syringe. 

GONORRHCEA. 

This sometimes occurs in stallions and mares after sexual intercourse, 
and sometimes is infectious. 

Syfimtoms. — In stallions, swelling and ulcers about the penis; swell- 
ing of the testicles and glands in the loins. In mares, swelling and itching 
in the vulva and vagina, where vesicles form, followed by ulcers. Either 
sex shows a stiff walk; loss of flesh and vivacity; death from putrid fever 
or possibly apoplexy. 

Treatment. — For acute and violent inflammation give five or six 
drops of aconite once in three or four hours. After the violence of the 
inflammation has been reduced with aconite, give cantharis in its stead. 



142 'THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

After the action of these two remedies mercurius will usually complete 
the cure. After pus has begun to discharge, a wash of permanganate of 
potassa may be injected into the urethra. Mix a half-drachm of perman- 
ganate of potassa in a pint of rain or distilled water, and use once or twice 
a day. Keep the parts clean and free from any obstruction. 

ABORTION. 

Abortion is not common among mares. It is caused by over-exertion 
of any kind; strains; blows; falls; very poor and insufficient or very stimu- 
lating food; inflammation of the bowels. It occasionally appears to be 
communicated by sympathy, similarly to an epidemic. 

Symptoms. — The approach is marked by loss of vivacity and appetite; 
hollow flanks; sinking of the abdominal enlargement; gradual lessening or 
entii'e loss of the foal's movements; the breathing grows obstructed ; yellow- 
ish matter passes from the vagina; straining; expulsion of the foal. 

Treatment. — When abortion is threatened from fright, strain or 
other cause, opium should be given, and the animal be kept at complete 
rest. This may be followed by viburnum, prunifolium, caulophyllum, or 
cimicifuga, in teaspoonful doses of the tincture every half-hour, hour, or 
two hours, until all danger is passed. When abortion has taken place and 
there is great feebleness, with a copious flow of blood and violent straining, 
•ergot should be given. Cinchona is good for restoring the strength after 
an abortion. Sabina is needed in case of a discharge of bright-colored or 
coagulated blood before or during the abortion. Tincture of camphor has 
been successful in preventing abortion when the sexual instinct has been 
morbidly susceptible, and when the spasmodic action of the womb has ap- 
peared to be the direct cause. A due regard to suitable diet and pasturage, 
proper housing, bedding, ventilation, cleanliness and exercise will go far in 
preventing the misfortune. If an animal has aborted, she should not be 
put to the male until after several seasons of heat. Keep mares that are 
with foal away from slaughter-houses and decomposing animal matter in 
general. Shut away from the smell of the abortion-discharge all animals 
that are pregnant, whether mares or not, as it renders them liable to abortion. 

DIFFICULT FOALING OR PARTURITION. 

The symptoms preceding parturition are quick breathing, swelling 
of the udder, with a sudden gush of milk, dropping of the belly, external 
swelling of the bearing and adjacent parts, with a shiny, glossy-red or yel- 
lowish discharge from the bearing. If these be slow in progress to labor- 



THE HORSE THE URINARY AND GENERATIVE ORGANS. 143 

pains, and the pains and throes be long and violent, or the throes continue 
after the expulsion of the after-birth, with great discharge of blood, medi- 
cinal treatment is needed. So too, if the labor has been assisted, and if any 
laceration of the parts has taken place, that must be treated. 

Treatment. — When the pains are too light or subside too much by 
spells, give ten drops of pulsatilla every two or three hours. If they are at- 
tended with convulsive movements, give ergot, especially if they cease alto- 
gether before delivery. Nature has made the best provision for this func- 
tion, and the least interference the better, either in medicine or otherwise. 

FLOODING AFTER DELIVERY. 

After parturition flooding may ensue, either from lack of a sufficiently 
rapid contraction of the womb, or from injuries incurred during a delivery, 
■especially if it has been difficult, prolonged, or has been assisted by an at- 
tendant. 

Treatment. — Put a bandage tightly around the belly; pour cold 
water on the loins and inject it into the vagina and rectum. Use arnica ex- 
ternally; also internally in alternation with ergot or sabina. Quinine will 
assist in recovering strength after the bleeding. Keep the mare quiet, in a 
cool, well-ventilated stable, free from draughts. 
* 
REMOVAL OF THE AFTER-BIRTH. 

If this does not come away immediately after delivery, give a few 
■doses of ergot. The introduction of the hand or injection of warm water 
is not advisable, except in extraordinary cases. If the mare continues to 
strain when the after-birth has been removed, give a dose of opium. As a 
preventive of the retention of the after-birth, animals in poor condition 
should be fed warm, sloppy food for ten days previous to parturition. 

INVERSION OF THE WOMB OR VAGINA. 

If % the womb should protrude immediately after the expulsion of the 
foal, gently place it back, temporarily bind the parts, and give five drops of 
arnica every three hours. Keep the animal perfectly quiet and give only 
light and nourishing food for two or three days. The vagina may protrude 
in a similar way, in old mares or in fillies. It may be caused by general 
weakness, or by standing in a stall that is too low behind. Treat as for 
inversion of the womb, keeping the animal's hind feet higher than usual, and 
building up the system with the best of food. 



144 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

INFLAMMATION OF THE UDDER. 

This disorder may result in hardening, ulceration or mortification of 
the udder, and arises from blows on the organ, lying on cold, hard or sharp 
objects, cold air, contracting of colds in any way, too hearty food, indiges- 
tion, milk remaining in the bag too long, some articles of food. 

Symptoms. — General fever; udder hot, swollen, hard and tender in 
some part. Then the symptoms may subside and the natural state ensue; 
or the swelling may soften and blood and matter be mixed with the milk; 
the udder, if the trouble continues, may all be hard, permanently useless, or 
be full of ulcers; or mortification may set in and part of the organ be lost. 
During the progress of the disorder there may be shivering; strong, 
quick pulse; rapid breath; constipation; scanty or suppressed urine. 

Treatment. — Give aconite for fever, in the earlier stages. Bella- 
donna is needed if the teat or udder be hot, red, swollen and tender, and the 
milk stopped. Phytolacca is very beneficial, especially if used in the early 
stages; it will often check the disease, avert ulceration, and restore the 
milk. Give five drops in a little meal every three hours, and bathe the 
udder with a lotion made of one ounce of the tincture to a pint of warm soft 
water. Mercurius removes the hardness which follows the formation of 
pus, and also acts well in the beginning as a preventive of suppuration. 
Silicea is desirable if the healing process is slow and ulcers remain. Pre- 
vention is the best treatment and may be effected by relieving the gland of 
the milk. To do this, apply to the udder camphorated spirits, weak iodine, 
or phytolacca-ointment, rubbing long and thoroughly, and draw out the 
milk three times a day. A hungry calf may be used to draw the milk. 

INFLAMMATION OF THE VAGINA. 

This may arise during " heat," or from blows, copulation, or parturi- 
tion. 

Symptoms. — If this occurs during heat, there is a discharge from the 
opening, of a grayish-white, then yellowish-white color. In other forms, 
the discharge is thin, burning, and often causes much straining. In severe 
cases, general fever-symptoms ensue. 

Treatment. — Keep the parts clean and inject warm water several 
times a day. If the discharge continues after inflammation has subsided, 
inject hydrastis-lotion, or a lotion of permanganate of potassa, as in gonor- 
rhoea. For fever-symptoms give aconite; for straining, cantharis; for ab- 
scesses or ulcers, mercurius. Injections should be blood-warm, for cold ones 
are liable to aggravate the trouble. 



THE HORSE THE URINARY AND GENERATIVE ORGANS. 145 

INFLAMMATION OF THE URETHRA. 

Inflammation of the urethra may result from a catarrhal condition of 
the urinary canal; from the administration of cantharides or croton, or (in 
stallions) from frequent copulation. Its symptoms are mattery discharge 
from the canal; frequent, painful and difficult urination; perhaps swelling 
and ulceration. Treat as for gonorrhoea, which was noticed above. 

CONFINED PENIS. 

Inability to protrude this organ may result from internal warts or ab- 
scesses; from swelling of the sheath; from kicks or blows. The urine may 
collect in the folds of the skin and cause swelling and distress, known as foul. 

Treatment. — Remove warts by tying ligatures around them and 
leaving them until they fall off. Abscesses should be fomented with warm 
water. If blows or kicks be the cause, give arnica internally and exter- 
nally. In other cases, inject two or three times a day between the penis 
and sheath warm water or hydrastis-lotion. If foul is the cause, treat as di- 
rected under that head in one of the preceding articles. 

PROTRUSION OF THE PENIS. 

Protrusion of the penis, with inability to draw it within the sheath, 
may be due to swelling of the penis after castration, to debility or paralysis 
of the organ, the latter being the more usual cause in old geldings, though 
it may attend any general debility of the system. 

Treatment. — If injuries be the cause, give arnica externally and in- 
ternally. For feverish symptoms and inflammation aconite and mercurius 
are needed. For debilitated organ give quinine and nux vomica. Cold 
water injected into the sheath may give relief. 

CASTRATION. 

This is not the place to give the different methods of performing cas- 
tration, as that is left to the operator, as well as the question as to the age 
at which it should take place. But it may be generally remarked that if 
the animal's head, neck and shoulders are well developed, it may take place 
earlier than under different conditions. Delicate colts should have nourish- 
ing food and outdoor exercise for several days previous to the operation, 
though no preparation is necessary for the healthy sucking colt. If he has 
been weaned, he should not have his usual bulk of food and water for 



146 



THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 



several days previous, but should not be starved. Horses that have been in 
training or have been high-fed should rest several weeks previously, their 
food being gradually reduced. The disorders arising from castration 
should be treated by the veterinary surgeon, though the following directions 
can be profitably followed by the general reader: 

Treatment. — Should the bleeding be considerable, bathe the part 
freely in extract of hamamelis every half-hour until the bleeding stops, then 
three times a day until the parts are wholly healed. If the sheath be 
swollen, it will usually resume its normal condition without treatment; but 
if it should not, and the parts become inflamed and tender, with signs of 
general fever, give aconite every few hours. If much laceration has taken 
place, bathe the parts three times daily with a lotion of a tablespoonful of 
tincture of arnica to a pint of water. If lock-jaw, fistula or peritonitis re- 
sult from castration, use the treatment for these as given before. 





CHAPTER VIII. 
THE EYE AND EAR. 

SIMPLE INFLAMMATION OF THE EYE. 

w/IITS is the most common disease of the eye to which the horse is 

v if' 

w?|$ subject, and may affect merely the outer lining, or may involve the 

'v 3 whole structure. Its causes are catarrh, bad food, damp or poorly- 
n^rJ ventilated stables, injuries from a stick or whip, I he bite of another 
horse, hav-seed, dust, in-growing eyelash, or other mechanical agencies. 

Symptoms. — The horse, in apparent health before, has slight symptoms 
of fever; the lids of one eye or both swollen or half-closed; scalding tears 
run down the face and irritate the skin; great pain caused by the light, and 
consequent reluctance to open the eyes. Later, a gummy, thickish, 
mucous secretion at the corners glues the lids together; the membrane 
covering the balls becomes red and covered with a network of fine blood- 
vessels; about the third day the transparent front part of the ball grows 
dim and muddy, sometimes in spots, sometimes the whole surface, seemingly 
covered with a bluish-white film; the disease continuing, the transparent 
front of the eye is seriously affected, and the whole eye suffers. In acute 
cases considerable fever-symptoms appear. 

Treatment. — One of the best remedies is aconite, which should be 
given at the beginning when the membrane attached to the eyeball is blood- 
shot, the eves are watery, the lids nearly closed, and particularly if feverish- 
ness be present. When the inflammation has been reduced by aconite and 
.the case is yet marked by copious and scalding tears, sensitiveness to 
the light, swollen and closed eyelids, red membrane of the eye, and quick- 
ened pulse, belladonna should be given, alone, or in alternation with 
aconite. Mercurius corrosivus is needed when the secretion in the corners 
glues the lids, and when the transparent front of the ball becomes dim or 
cloudy. Euphrasia is often useful for symptoms which seem to call for 
belladonna and yet have not been removed by its use, or if after the use of 
the same for several days the transparent front is still dim and cloudy. The 
euphrasia may also be used as a wash. 

147 



148 



THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 



In the various inflammations and catarrhal affections of the eyes local 
applications are of great value, though caution is needed in their use, especially 
in that of nitrate of silver or sugar of lead. Some 
cases mav require these medicines, but simpler arti- 
cles will usually answer all necessities, and are attended 
with less danger. When the eye is inflamed and 
gives out a mucous discharge, pulverized sugar or 
salt, blown into it through a quill once or twice a 
day, will often give prompt relief. A wash made of 
one part of fluid hydrastia and four of water is excel- 
lent. In the general care, examine the eye to dis- 
cover hay, dirt, seeds, and other foreign matter which 
adheres to the upper eyelid, and is detected by turn- 
ing the lid back over the little finger. If a portion 
of the front part or of the membrane of the eye has 
been removed by a blow, a drop or two of castor-oil 
or glycerine may be put upon the wound. Keep the 
light suhdued so as not to pain the eye, guarding against cold and 
impure air. Many good horses are reduced in value by neglect of seeds or 
grit in the eye, however trivial it may seem. 




Method of Protect- 
ing the Eyes and Ap- 
plying Lotions. 



PERIODIC INFLAMMATION.— MOON-BLINDNESS. 



The latter of these names is used because the periodic attacks are by 
some supposed to occur with the changes of the moon. This disease is an 
inflammation of the entire ball of the eye, without any apparent cause 
externally, and if neglected is often incurable and ends in total blindness. 
It abates, recurs, and may shift back and forth from one eye the other. It 
is often inherited, though it may be undeveloped in one generation and 
reappear in the next. In these cases it may be promoted, in others it is 
caused, by the impure air of close, dirty, dark stables; poor food; cold or 
wet; violent exertion, as in running ; frequent sudden transitions from a dark 
stable to glaring sunlight; undue supply of blood in the system; congestion 
affecting the head, caused perhaps by pressure of a collar which prevents 
a flow of the blood from the head; changes from cold to warm stables; 
also from pasture to high feeding and heavy work; foul litter, which is even 
worse than a glaring light; teething; simple inflammation of the eye may 
cause it. Damp soils, marshy pasture, and excessive moisture in the atmos- 
phere are predisposing causes, especially in horses that are subject to the 
disease by heredity. Horses that have soft, lax, flabbv muscles, thin skin, 
flat feet, and that lack energy in work, are predisposed to it; likewise those 



THE HORSE THE EYE AND EAR. 149 

that have small sunken eyes (" pig-eyes"). Harness-horses are more liable 
to it than saddle-horses, and young ones more than the older. 

Symptoms. — Flow of tears; lining attached to the ball is red; in the 
morning the eye is almost closed and full of tears; eyelids swollen; pain from 
the light; great reluctance to allow the eye to be opened; corner of the 
eye red; the transparent part in front grows muddy and opaque; pupil 
very small; iris dim, speckled with white, covered with lymph, pus or 
blood; hot, dry mouth and quick pulse; constipation; scanty urine; on the 
third to the sixth day congested blood-vessels run into the edges of the 
transparent portion; later still this naturally transparent portion passes from a 
yellowish-white to a greenish or brownish; sometimes the crystalline lens be- 
comes opaque and cataracts form ; the iris may be affected with inflammation in 
frequent attacks and great irritability, though blindness may not soon inter- 
vene; occasionally the interior of the eye becomes yellow and muddy, the eye 
then shrinking away. In favorable cases the symptoms begin to disappear 
from the fourth to the tenth day, the eye becoming healthy. An attack 
may last from four days to six weeks, each one being shorter than the pre- 
ceding. Apparent recovery is often interrupted by a relapse or change of 
the attack to the other eye. Between attacks the eye may appear well, but it 
is not; the eyelids may form nearly or quite a right angle; the iris may 
remain contracted and lose its luster. An attack will recur upon a return 
to the usual food, upon exposure to wind, cold and rain, or vipon a return to 
a dirty or badly-venti!ated stable. Traces will almost invariably remain 
after a so-called cure; hence the importance of critically examining the eye 
before purchasing. 

Treatment. — Aconite should be given in alternation with belladonna 
every three or four hours at the beginning of the disease if fever is present, 
tears abundant, eyelids swollen, and the eye blood-shot. Continue the 
belladonna after the subsidence of the fever-symptoms which demand 
aconite, if the membrane of the eye remains red, tears abundant, and local 
inflammation stubborn. Throughout the whole attack, until a cure is 
effected, apply to the eye a lotion of belladonna, two grains of the extract 
to one ounce of water; or bind on the eye a cloth soaked in the same. 
Euphrasia has effected speedy cures, used in the same manner as a wash, 
and given internally. Mercurius corrosivus should be alternated with 
belladonna when the eye is brownish or whitish, and as long as the humors 
are dim or the naturally transparent part is opaque. When there is a low state 
of the system, with a weakened constitution, and when recurrence is sus- 
pected, give arsenicum. Some cases require a general tonic treatment, and 
nux vomica, iron, ginger or Peruvian bark will be found useful. Surgical 
measures are sometimes necessary, especially for inflammation and hardening 



150 



THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 



of the iris. In the way of general care, keep the stable clean, well drained 
and ventilated, and exclude the light. Give good but not stimulating food. 
Since recovery is often effected within a very short time after the removal of 
the wolf-teeth it has been supposed that that operation is the cause of the 
cure, but it has no such virtue or connection. Owing to the hereditary- 
tendency of this form of inflammation care should be taken in the breeding 
to avoid all animals that are afflicted with the disorder. 

CATARACT. 

An opaque body, white, gray or yellow, fills the pupil, shutting out 
the whole or a part of the vision. The lens alone is usually affected, though 
sometimes the enveloping sac is also involved. One eye or both may be 
affected, generally both, in old horses, in which blindness is usually caused, 
growing more confirmed as age advances. If the disorder is caused by 
an injury to one eye, the other usually continues sound. The cataract can be 
detected by bringing the horse to the light and looking into the eye. The 
causes are repeated attacks of inflammation; blows or wounds; imperfect 
nutrition, especially in old horses. 

Symptoms. — In a good light, in place of a clear, transparent pupil, may 
be seen a few white, gray or yellow specks, nearly round, with irregular 
edges; or there may be a mass of dull-white matter, half-transparent and 
mottled. "The cataract may be in the center of the lens and scarcely 





Partial Cataract. 



— -zy - -- 

Complete Cataract. 



visible. White streaks may diverge from the center, especialy in old horses. 
The lens becomes more convex than before, sometimes hidden by a yellowish 
substance which fills the pupil (being then called false cataract). In 
confirmed cases the cataract may be seen at a distance; in recent cases it 
may be very obscure, when its discovery may be facilitated by enlarging 
the pupil by applying atropin to it (a solution of one grain to half an 
ounce of water). Besides the appearance of the cataract, its presence may 
be suspected from the horse showing an impaired sight, being timid, alarmed 



THE HORSE THE EYE AND EAR. 151 

at objects familiar before, shying at strange vehicles, looking suspiciously at 
whatever he meets; and if he sees better in the evening or in a mild light 
than in the sunshine. 

A whitish-gray speck, or more than one, may form upon the lens of the 
eye or its enveloping sac, without any apparent previous inflammation, or 
after an injury from the removal of a piece of the front part of the eye. 
These are known as "false cataracts." They may disappear without 
treatment, though cannabis is a valuable aid. 

Treatment. — When cataract is suspected, sulphur and cannabis may 
be given to ward it off. When it is confirmed, it can not be cured in the 
horse, though the use of phosphorated oil has been followed by good 
results. Mix two grains of phosphorus in one ounce of almond oil and 
put a drop into the eye once a day for several months. In man it has been 
cured by removing the lens and using glasses instead, but this does not 
wholly restore the sight, and imperfect vision from removal of the natural 
lens will cause more alarm and nervousness in the horse than an inability to 
see an object at all. Cataract that is threatened by Moon-Blindness may 
be prevented by a proper use of the expedients named for that disorder. 

OBSCURED VISION.— AMAUROSIS. 

This is a disease of the optic nerve, or the adjacent part of the brain, 
causing partial or total blindness. Its causes are excess of lignt; a blow on 
the head; injury to the eyeball; tumor pressing against the brain or optic 
nerve; apoplexy; bleeding from castration; stomach staggers; pregnancy. 

Sy?npto?ns. — These are usually obscure, and generally appear suddenly ; 
the horse is cautious in his movements; steps high; stumbles or runs 
against any object in his way; throws up his head; moves his ears back- 
ward and forward, as if to catch any sound to guide him. On careful 
examination the eye stares; sometimes has a glassy appearance; pupil 
unnaturally large, and round instead of oblong, contracting slowly, and 
not at all in later stages; the iris shrinks to a small band around the pupil. 
An unnaturally large, round pupil should create suspicion, and the horse 
should be taken to the light and the lids drawn shut for some minutes, then 
suddenly opened. If the pupil does not readily contract from the glaring 
light, the presence of the disease is at once known. 

Treatment. — Treatment is usually unavailing. If stomach staggers 
or other disease be the cause, that disease should be treated. Since the 
disorder is due to nervous affection, remedies which act on the nerves will 
be useful in some cases. Strychnia, nitrate of silver, or a blister on the 
cheek or behind the ears may be used with benefit. 



152 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

PTERYGIUM. 

Pterygium is a thickening of the tissue forming the membrane that 
joins the eyeballs and lids, and usually extends from the inner corner 
toward the transparent front part. It is not uncommon among horses that 
are exposed to the weather and dusty roads during long journeys. It is 
•caused by heat, dust and wind, as a rule. 

Treatment. — For inflammation with formation of pus or pus-like 
tears, give conium or euphrasia. One-tenth of a grain of nitrate of silver 
ground with sugar may be attended with the best results, but it should be 
continued for some time. Nitrate of silver is not to be applied as a caustic. 
To prevent the occurrence of pterygium, gently wash the eyes with cold 
water after a long journey on dusty roads, first letting the horse cool. 

WORM IN THE EYE. 

Small worms, nearly an inch long, cylindrical, half-transparent, in size 
and color corresponding to white sewing-thread, are sometimes found in 
the horse's eye. The cause is not certainly known. 

Symptoms. — Deep-seated inflammation, usually in one eye only; the 
membrane joining the ball and lids is very much inflamed and tinged with 
blood ; the transparent front of the eye becomes cloudy and obscured ; closed 
eyelids; pain from the light. The worm, on careful examination, may be 
seen floating in the aqueous humor, and though it mav not occasion acute 
pain, it will destroy the eye if allowed to remain many days. 

Treatment. — A veterinary surgeon should puncture the coniea just 
below the center with a lancet or trocar. The aqueous humor escapes, and 
usually the worm with it. The humor will collect by the next day, when 
the operation should be repeated if the first attempt has not been successful. 

POLYPUS IN THE EYE. 

Occasionally small polypous excrescences grow on the ball or lids, 
sometimes resulting from a slight accidental breaking of the membrane, 
sometimes spontaneously. Similar growths may appear on the transparent 
front portion of the eye from like causes. 

Treatment. — The growths should De removed with a delicate pair 
of scissors and the parts from which they are cut be then touched with 
some caustic. Any resulting fever may be treated for a short time with 
aconite and belladonna in alternation. Use mild washes, as in Simple 
Inflammation of the Eyes, which was previously considered. 



THE HORSE THE EYE AND EAR. 153 

ULCERATION AND THICKENING OF THE EYELIDS. 

Ulceration of the margins of the eyelids should be treated externally 
with causticum, putting five drops of the tincture in an ounce of water and 
applying from time to time until the ulcers disappear. An ointment made 
of two grains of red oxide of mercury and one drachm of vaseline is 
excellent. 

Thickening of the Eyelids may be treated by giving internally calcarea 
carbonica or silicea. If it is due to granulations on the inside of the lid, apply 
with a camel's-hair brush a lotion made of one-half drachm of tannic acid 
and one ounce of glycerine, using it once a day until a cure is effected. 

WARTS AND CALLOUS FORMATIONS. 

When such formations appear on the eyelids they should be treated 
with nitric acid, mixing ten drops in an ounce of water and applying night 
and morning. The mercury-ointment mentioned for Ulceration of the 
Eyelids is also good. It may be necessary to remove them with a knife or 
caustic. 

PREVENTION OF BLINDNESS. 

Young horses are specially subject to blindness as a result of hard 
driving or work, and one eye or both may be afflicted. Old horses are 
similarly affected, but not so frequently. When blindness is feared from 
such causes, danger may be averted by putting six drops of Fowler's 
Solution of arsenic on a little sugar or meal, and giving two or three times 
a day. Give easily digested food and j^erfect rest. If the over-exertion 
has been continued some time, it may be too late to prevent the blindness; 
but in such cases the above remedy may be given in the morning, and a 
like dose of nux vomica in the evening for a considerable time. 

THE EAR. 

The ear of the horse is subject to but few diseases so far as we know. 
The external ear may become inflamed as the result of a blow, and be 
attended with an abscess which causes pain, and which it may be necessary 
to open. When the ear has become so injured, give arnica internally 
and apply it externally. 

Deafness is not very common, and little can be said of its specific 
causes, symptoms or location. Hence remedies can not be named here. 



CHAPTER IX. 
THE EXTREMITIES. 

FORMATION OF JOINTS. 

pOINTS are formed of bones which fit each other on uneven surfaces, 
the cavities and elevations mutually corresponding, with an interven- 
ing smooth, elastic substance, called cartilage, which prevents fric- 
^ tion of the surfaces, and relieves the jar that would otherwise occur 
from walking on hard roads. This cartilage is covered with a fine " syno- 
vial " membrane which secretes an albuminous and oily fluid that acts as 
oil to prevent friction. Sti'ong flexible substances, fibrous in texture, called 
ligaments, are the chief bonds to hold the parts of the joints together. 
Some joints are further strengthened with tendons and muscles. Small 
closed sacs, called " bursae mucosae," situated between the surfaces of the 
joints, secrete a fluid similar to that furnished by the synovial membrane 
named above, to which membrane they are similar in structure. 

SYNOVITIS. 

Synovitis is an inflammation of the synovial membranes. The in- 
flamed membranes do not exceed a certain size, do not burst, and do not be- 
come well without treatment, but may remain in the same condition for 
years. It affects the knee, fetlock (then called "wind galls," which see), 
but generally the hock (then called " bog spavin " and "thorough-pin," 
which see). Among its causes are exposure to cold and heat; sprains; 
friction of joints from quick work on hard roads ; rheumatic fever. 

Symptoms. — Lameness immediately followed by swelling of some 
joints (not of the surrounding fibrous texture, as in rheumatism); a fluid 
exudes from the joint, at first usually serous, without the marked fever 
which attends the beginning of muscular rheumatism; later, lymph es- 
capes and the joint is permanently enlarged, or less frequently the joint 
becomes stiff and immobile, baffling all treatment. 

Treatment. — Aconite is the most effectual remedy, both internally 

154 



THE HORSE THE EXTREMITIES. 



155 



and externally, to reduce inflammation and prevent effusions from the joint, 
or any structural damage to the joint.' Continue it as long as fever-symp- 
toms or local pains remain. After the second or third day the aconite will 
probablv have reduced the active symptoms, leaving the swelling of the 
joints and slight lameness; in this case give bryonia. Bathe the affected 
joints three times a day, a half-hour each time, with warm water; then ap- 
ply to them, when they are dry, one-half ounce of arnica in six ounces of 
water, well rubbed in. It is said by good authority that veratrum viride 
is superior to this, applied with a brush five or six times a day to the joints- 

BOG SPAVIN AND THOROUGH-PIN. 





Bog Spavin is a soft, elastic swelling on the front of the interior -part 
of the upper hock-joint, where the ligaments lie far apart. It is not at- 
tended with the acute inflammation which marks synovitis. It may be 
constitutional, but is usually caused by over-work in traveling or in the 
harness, especially in young horses, which causes friction of the joints and 
the effort of nature to supply relief from an increase of the joint-oil. 

Symptoms. — Enlargement on the front and inside of the hock, where 
there is naturally a depression, sometimes with stiffness, but seldom lame- 
ness; this is generally soft and elastic, but may 
be hard and inelastic in old and severe cases, in 
this case producing lameness. The vein pass- 
ing over the hock may be pressed by the swell- 
ing and thus distended with blood, in which 
case the disease is sometimes distinguished as 
blood spavin, and destruction of the vein has 
been very unwisely recommended. 
Thorough-Pin is an enlargement of the back tipper part of the hock, 
and results from long-continued or excessive exertion, especially on hard 
roads, and may be caused by a sprain. It generally co-exists with bog 
spavin, with similar symptoms, except that in thorough-pin the swelling 
may extend to both sides of the joint, and the inclosed fluid may be easily 
forced from one side to the other. 

Treatment. — In ordinary cases it is scarcely necessary or wise to at- 
tempt a treatment of what nature has done to obviate the ills of the friction, 
as it may cause no marked inconvenience; but should it interfere with the 
proper action of the joint by growing large, and produce lameness or in- 
flammation of the synovial membrane, foment the joint three times a day with 
warm water; then arnica-lotion (one ounce of arnica in a pint of water) 
should be rubbed into the swelling three times a day. In about a week 



Boo Spavin. 



Thokolgu- 

PlN. 



156 the; veterinary doctor. 

apply a similar lotion of rhus in like manner. In long-standing cases 
pressure is the best treatment by far. This is best applied by a truss made 
specially for the purpose; but in the absence of one, a wet chamois-skin 
bandage may be bound firmly to the swelling, and a piece of lint put un 
der it, the latter being wet with glycerine twice a day. Blisters are of no 
avail, but lameness lias been removed by firing the affected parts. 



BONE SPAVIN. 







This is a bony deposit on the inner and lower parts of the hock-joint. 
Zt may be hereditary, a malformation of the joint existing at birth, though 
in this case the natural defect often does not cause lameness. The more 
common causes are galloping in heavy ground; slipping on smooth sur- 
faces; long draughts; sudden throwing of the horse on the haunches; calks 
on the outside of the heel, without corresponding ones inside. 

Synifttoms. — In the early stages the enlargement may not be detected, 
but the horse does not bend the hock, and shows pain if the joint be 
pressed ; hops on the toe of the affected limb when turned around or put 
in motion; snatches the toe up, as in stringhalt; drags the 
limb; after a while, if not at first, a small bony tumor may 
be felt on the inner and lower front part of the joint by 
rubbing the hand over the joint and comparing it with the 
joint of the sound leg examined in a similar way. Lame- 
ness may disappear with rest, though subsequent trotting 
will renew it; but this gradually leaves upon work. The 

Bone Spavin. ... - , , , -ni i-ri 

inside of the hock is unnaturally heated. In later stages 
inflammation of the ligaments, depositions of cartilage or bone, and per- 
haps disease of the interior part of the joint, are added, when the lameness 
increases, and is worse when first brought from the stable, diminishing 
with motion. If the tarsal bones become stiff, the horse loses condition and 
•seldom lies down. 

Treatment. — Turn the horse loose in a stall for about a month. 
Give rhus internally three times a day, and rub into the affected part a 
lotion of one part of strong tincture of rhus to eight of water. If a dep- 
osition of bone has formed, use the following: 

Iodine, i drachm. 

Iodide potassas, 2 drachms. • 

Sulphuric acid, 2 drachms. 

Palm oil, 4 dr?.chms. 
Mix. 



THE HORSE THE EXTREMITIES. 



137 



First shave off the hair, and then smear this preparation thickly over 
the swelling with a thin, broad knife, or a flat piece of wood. While 
using this preparation, keep the head tied up for twenty-four hours. Do- 
not clean the hock or remove the scurf which will appear in two or three 
days after the application is made. In from two to three weeks the same- 
dressing may be made, a third usually not being required. 

CURB. 



Curb is an enlargement at the back part of the hock, three or four 
inches below the point, resulting from a sprain of the ligaments connecting 
the bone which forms the point of the joint with the larger bones below. 
A fluid is effused into the tissue, and depositions of bone are sometimes 
formed. Horses ar.e called " cow-hocked " when the ligament is kept 
constantly stretched, thus making curb more liable to occur. It is rare in 
old horses, usually occurring between breaking and the eighth year. The 
main causes are galloping in heavy ground; leaping; ordinary work-horses 
predisposed to it from birth ; running over hills. 

Symptoms. — Soft, hot, tender swelling on the back and upper part of 
the shank-bone, which soon becomes hard and difficult of treatment; lame- 
ness. The head of the smaller bone of the shank is in some horses nor- 
mally large, but the enlargement is hard and bony all the time, being thus 
easily distinguished from curb, in which the swelling is more or less elastic. 
Treatment. — Raise the heel of the shoe to rest the ligaments. Give 
rhus internally three times a day, and apply rhus-lotion externally by pressure^ 
To secure pressure on the hock, make a case of strong cloth to fit the joint,, 
cutting a hole to fit the top of the bone forming 
the point of the hock which will sustain the 
case, lacing the front part together by tapes on 
each side; about two inches from the edge of 
the opening made for the point of the hock 
make a slit of proper length to admit the full 
width of the bandage with which the pressure 
is to be secured. This case is only to prevent 
the bandage from slipping down from the joint. FOR CuRE - 
Take the bandage (chamois-skin is the best, as it retains moisture longer 
than flannel) and the case, slip one end of the bandage through one of the 
slits, passing it from the inside of the case outward, then from the outside 
inward through the opening at the hock-point, and finally outward through 
the second side slip. Draw the bandage through so as to bring the other 
end inside, near the first side-opening, make the end fast there, put on the 





A Curb. 



India- Rub- 
ber Dressing 



-j 53 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

case and fasten the tapes in front. Now wrap the long loose end of the 
bandage upon the parts requiring pressure, having under it a pad of 
chamois-skin, saturated with a half-ounce of arnica mixed with a half-pint 
of water. Keep the bandage wet with cold water. When the inflamma- 
tion has subsided, rub in a lotion of one ounce of rhus to a half-pint of water. 
The following are other methods of treatment, either of which maybe 
used, though obviously two can not be used at the same time: (i). 
Moisten the hair with a tincture of acetum cantharidum, applied with a 
brush, then rub the part dry. Do not repeat this for several days, and use 
no fomentations after it. (2). A favorite remedy is one drachm of mercu- 
rius corrosivus and one ounce of spirits of wine, applied with a soft sponge, 
"but not rubbed in. It may be repeated in ten days, if necessary. (3). 
One drachm of bin-iodide of mercury with one drachm of axunge may be 
rubbed in for a few minutes every day for ten days. Firing is usually 
cruel and unnecessary, but it not only removes lameness, but also prevents 
a return. It may be used when all remedies fail to give a permanent cure. 

WIND GALLS OR PUFFS. 

Around or near the joints are little sacs supplying the tendons, which 
are composed of membrane much like the synovial, which secretes small 
quantities of an oily fluid. If the tendons be sprained or their action be 
much increased, nature increases the secretion and thus produces a soft, 
elastic tumor known as wind gall or puff. The cause is usually a sprain of 
the tendons, or excessive or long-continued friction of the joints from quick 
work on hard roads. Low, marshy pastures seem to produce a tendency 
to an enlargement much like that resulting from over-exertion. 

Symptoms. — Soft, elastic swellings near some joint, as the fetlock, hock 
or knee, generally the first, at the start as large as a small nut, but finally be- 
coming much larger, and growing harder; absence of inflammation and 
lameness. The swellings may occur among the tendons 
and ligaments on the interior part of the leg below the knee, 
a little below the front of the joint, or on the upper back 
part of the joint. These swellings do not contain wind, as 
once was believed, but an oily fluid, and generally cause no 
harm. Occasionally, however, the increase of the fluid may 
cause inflammation, wh'ich extends to the lining membranes 
of the sheath of the tendons, very tender, puffy swellings ap- 
pearing above the usual seat of wind galls; the inflammation 
thickens the membrane-, and the fluid in the sacs changes from a straw-color 
and becomes suffused with blood ; lymph may collect; the tumors become 







THE HORSE THE EXTREMITIES. 159 

firm and hard to the touch, and in old horses like bone, interfering with the 
action of the tendons and causing lameness. 

Treatment. — Wind galls seldom cause lameness; hence it is usually 
not wise to treat them. If lameness ensues, however, it generally results 
from a sprain of the tendon or a joint, and will be removed by a chamois- 
skin pressure as directed under Bog Spavin. Should this fail to remove 
the lameness and swelling, foment the part a half-hour morning and even- 
ing with warm water, dry well, and then rub in a lotion of one ounce of 
rhus to one pint of water. Should the wind gall be very large, and not 
connected with the joint, it may be punctured with a small trocar on its 
upper surface, and the fluid be pressed up and out. A compress and band- 
age must then be applied to close the sac and exclude the air, and not be 
removed for two days. After that time, place over the wind gall a piece 
of lint soaked in glycerine, with oil-silk and a bandage over it. Renew this 
dressing night and morning. Keep the horse in a loose box, not taking 
him out for ten days or two weeks, and omitting all work for a month. 

ULCERATION OF THE JOINT CARTILAGE. 

Inflammation of the synovial membrane sometimes extends to the car- 
tilage covering the ends of the two main bones of the joint, diminishing 
the secretion, causing ulceration, wearing away of the cartilage, and polish- 
ing of the surface of the bones, thus giving rise to what has been erro- 
neously called porcelain deposit. 

Treatment. — Remove the hair and apply, with a thin, broad knife 
(not rubbed in), a preparation made on the following formula: 

Iodine, 2 drachms. 

Iodide of potassa, 1 drachm. 

Sulphuric acid, 2 drachms. 

Palm oil, Yz ounce. 
Mix. 

Repeat the application in about three weeks, if the cure is not complete. 

CAPPED HOCK. 

This is usually caused by a kick, but may arise from an injury to the 
tendons at the point of the hock, as when horses injure themselves in lying 
down or getting up. 

Symptoi7is. — An elastic, generally movable, swelling at the hock sud- 
denly appears. It is of two kinds: (1). A mere bruise of the skin may 



160 



THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 



cause an effusion of serum into the tissue. (2). The synovial sac may be 
enlarged from an injury to the tendons. In the first kind, the enlargement 
may be easily moved about and is limited to the point of the hock; in the 
second, the enlargement remains fixed and is more deeply seated, the en- 
larged sheath being felt either above or below the point of the hock, with 
more tenderness and inflammation than in the first kind. 

Treatment. — In new cases, foment the swelling three or four times 
a day with warm water, dry thoroughly, and rub in about a tablespoonful 
of a lotion made of one-half ounce of tincture of arnica in 
six ounces of water. As soon as the inflammation subsides, 
use in place of this lotion one made of a half-ounce of rhus 
in five ounces of water. When the swelling is not deep and 
is very large, without involving the true joint, the upper 
surface may be punctured by a surgeon with a small trocar, 
the fluid be pressed up and out, and diluted calendula be in- 
jected and pressed out in two minutes. Then apply a band- 
age as directed under Bog Spavin. If the pressure be omitted, the flui<* 
will collect again and again. 




Capped Hock.. 



SPRAIN OF THE HOCK. 

The tendons and ligaments of the hock are all subject to spvai.is from 
leaping, or galloping in heavy ground. The ligaments connecting the 
bones of the joints are specially subject to implication in sprains, and the 
disease will readily submit to proper treatment if taken in time; but the 
trouble is often not detected until inflammation has destroyed the elasticity 
of the ligaments, the latter becoming cartilaginous or bony. The symp- 
toms are heat and swelling in the joint, some stiffness and lameness. The 
treatment is local, such as is applicable to general Sprains. 

CAPPED KNEE. 



This is caused by striking-the knee against some hard body; by heavy 
falls; by thorns or other foreign bodies in the knee. 

Symptoms. — The symptoms are a soft, elastic swelling 
on the front of the knee, with an absence of pain on 
pressure, except in case of a foreign substance being the 
cause. 

Treatment. — If a thorn be the cause, remove it. In. 
Enlargement < l li recent cases, with inflammation, give frequent warm- 
water fomentations. Arnica-lotion, one part of the tinc- 




in Capped Knee. 



THE HORSE THE EXTREMITIES. 161 

hire to twelve of water, should be rubbed in twice a day. In chronic cases, 
use a liniment made on the following' formula: 

Liniment of soap, 8 ounces. 

Camphor, I drachm. 

Liquor ammonias, I ounce. 
Mix. 

Apply daily with friction until a scurf appears on the parts. 

SPRAIN OF THE KNEE TENDONS. 

When a sprain of any of the back tendons of the knee occurs, the 
fibers being lacerated, a swelling appears on the back part of the leg, whicn 
is tender on pressure, and at first hot and inflamed, becoming afterward 
hard, and sometimes ossified. The unsteady gait, wavering of the knees, in- 
clination to lie down, and other symptoms will be easily recognized. Such 
sprain obviously makes the horse unfit for substantial seiwice. 

Treatment. — Immediately after the accident which causes the 
trouble has occurred, apply a chamois-skin bandage to the swelling and 
keep it wet with cold water. Should effusion of fluid have set in, with in- 
flammation, put on a flannel bandage and bathe over it frequently with 
hot water during the day; at night placing on six or eight folds of lint 
saturated with arnica-lotion (one tablespoonful of tincture to a half-pint of 
water), covering the whole with oil-silk and a bandage. When inflamma- 
tion subsides under this treatment, foment for a half-hour night and morn- 
ing, dry the leg, and rub in a mixture of a half-ounce of rhus and a half- 
pint of water. Give rest and a loose box. At the beginning, put on a 
high-heeled shoe to relieve pressure on the tendons. Further treatment is 
indicated under general Sprains. The sinews may be contracted, render- 
ing a division of the tendons necessary by a surgeon. 

BROKEN KNEE. 

Broken knee is a term applied to an injury imposed by a fall or striking 
the knee against some hard and sharp body, resulting in a bruise, a break of 
the skin, or a division of the tendons or membranous sacs of the joint. 

Svtnptoms. — The skin may be simply bruised and not broken through, 
when the knee will be hot, swollen and painful. Or there may be a rubbing 
off of the skin, or it may be cut, torn and jagged, the lower tissues being 
injured, the sheath of the tendon also being exposed. Sometimes a fluid 
issues from the wound. 



162 the veterinary doctor. 



Treatment. — Should there be simply a bruise, apply warm fomen- 
tations until the inflammation subsides. If the swelling then continues, rub 
on daily a liniment made as follows: — 

Soap liniment, 4 ounces. 

Camphor, % ounce. 

Liquor ammoniae, I ounce. 
Mix. 

If the skin be lacerated and bleeding, remove all grit by forcibly 
dashing water on the wound, or forcing it on with a large syringe. Then 
if the joint is not open, or the tendon not cut through, gently dry the wound 
by dabbing it with a soft rag or sponge, and pour on (not apply with a 
sponge) a little lotion six times a day composed of one part of the tincture 
of arnica to twelve of water. If the skin lies in a flap on the leg, the 
wound must be sewed up, but loosely enough to allow the swelling which 
will take place. In such cases only should a bandage be used for broken 
knee. Though it may be made of linen or flannel, it is better if made of 
chamois-skin, kept wet constantly with warm water after it is applied. 
Put the bandage on evenly, with light pressure, and leave it for a week, 
except as it gets loose and requires readjustment. A splint eighteen inches 
long and three wide should be fastened against the back of the joint to 
prevent the tearing out of the stitches. If the formation of pus is inevitable, 
foment the wound and put on a poultice of carrot or turnip, never of bran. 
This is best applied by drawing a woolen stocking over the knee, fastening 
it around the leg below the joint with tape, then filling in the poultice and 
fastening the stocking above. Repeating the poultice twice daily for two 
or three days will usually be sufficient, unless the granulation is excessive, 
when it should be sprinkled with finely powdered sulphate of zinc, if it 
rises above the level of the skin. In a few days the skin falls off, and, if 
the "skinning over" has not taken place, wash the part three times daily 
with a lotion composed of two drachms of sulphate of zinc, two drachms of 
acetate of lead, and one pint of water, thoroughly mixed. 

CAPPED ELBOW. 

This is caused by mechanical injuries from insufficient bedding; lying 
on rough, hard surfaces, as paving-stones; a shoe pressing on the elbow while 
the horse is lying down. 

Symptoms. — A swelling, similar to that in capped hock, on the point 
of the elbow, which is at first elastic and movable, full of fluid, but later 
growing hard, or of a fibrous or cartilaginous character. 



THE HORSE THE EXTREMITIES. 103 

Treatment. — Foment and apply arnica-lotion, following up with, 
rhus-lotion night and morning. If the swelling is not thus removed, a sur- 
geon should pass a seton through it; or make an opening with a small 
trocar, remove the fluid, and then inject a lotion of calendula and water, one 
part of the tincture of calendula to four of water. Keep the horse tied up. 
In a day or two, should the fluid again collect, the surgeon may probe the 
swelling and apply a lotion of calendula to ward off fistulous results. If 
there be considerable inflammation, foment often with warm water. 

SPRAIN OF THE STIFLE-JOINT. 

Such sprain is uncommon, but its symptoms are plain, being a swelling 
at the joint, so near the surface that it is easily felt; pain on pressure; heat; 
unwillingness to move the hind leg, which is dragged along in trotting. 

Treatment. — Apply fomentations of warm water often and rub in 
arnica-lotion night and morning. After the subsidence of inflammation 
leave off the fomentations and rub in camphorated ammoniacal soap 
liniment until a mild blistering occurs, and a cure will result after a few days 
of rest. The formula for the liniment is given under general Sprains. 

SPRAIN OF THE FETLOCK-JOINTS. 

Sprain of the fetlock-joints is sometimes located in the ligaments of the 
joints, but more commonly in the tendons behind and in front of the 
joint. The symptoms are swelling; lameness; heat; tenderness on pressure. 

Treatment. — Bandage the swelling and keep up warm-water fomen- 
tations, followed by cold water. After inflammation subsides .put on a 
chamois-skin bandage saturated twice a day with one part of rhus to eight 
of water. For other expedients, see general Sprains. 

BREAKING-DOWN. 

Breaking down is an actual rupture of the ligaments in the back part 
of the leg, above or below the fetlock. Any sprain of the back tendons 
receives the same name. While running the horse suddenly stops, bends the 
leg and rests it either on the fetlock (in real rupture) or on the toe (in 
sprains). 

Symptoms. — In ordinary sprain, as stated above, the toe rests on the 
ground after the horse has suddenly stopped on a run, or the leg is held off 
the ground. In rupture of the ligament, the fetlock yields, and in extreme 
cases the leg rests on the heel and fetlock, the toe turned upward off the 



164 



THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 



ground. The horse may lie down, and sometimes hops on three legs. At 
first there will be much pain, quick breath and pulse, and other signs of 
fever and excitement. 

Treatment. — Put on a high-heeled shoe for use when the foot is- 
down. Put the horse in slings, and bind on firmly a chamois-skin bandage 
with a flannel bandage over it. Constantly apply warm-water fomentations 
for several days, not removing the bandages oftener than is necessary. In 
about ten days cold salt-water may be applied often to remove inflammation;, 
then use other remedies as named under general Sprains. Give aconite 




Si.incj for Use in Bkeaking-Down. 



three times a day. Bran-mashes and grass are the best diet. The part will 
always be deformed and the horse will never be fit for any but slow and 
light work. The above treatment is designed especially for cases of actual 
rupture of the ligaments. That for sprains of the tendons should be the 
same as that given for Sprain of the Knee Tendons (which see). 

SPLINT. 



In this disorder the cartilaginous ligaments joining the large and 
small bones of the shank are converted into bone, and the process may 
extend to other parts if inflammation continues. It generally appears on the 
inside of the fore leg, but may affect any part of the shank-bones. Its 
causes are sudden or long-continued strain, causing inflammation of the liga- 
ments; blows; putting young horses to work for which their partial develop- 



THE HORSE THE EXTREMITIES. 



105 



ment is not suited; sometimes marks of splint are hereditary. It may 
result from inflammation of the sheath of the bone. 

Symptoms. — Before the bony deposit there will be pain on pressure of 
the part affected; perhaps lameness, diminishing with exercise; later, a 
bony tumor, usually on the inside of the leg close to the 
knee, or half-way between the knee and fetlock; in case of 
lameness, there will be increased heat and tenderness in the 
tumor. 

Treatment. — Give rhus internally night and morning 
in the early stages when there is inflammation of the carti- 
laginous tissue previous to the conversion into bone; in this 
case lameness is generally present. Iodide of potassa may 
follow rhus with good results, five to ten grains being given 
twice a day in water. In connection with the above reme- 
dies apply a lint-compress, wet in cold water and covered 
with oil-silk and a bandage; or foment twice a day, and as 
often rub in a lotion of one ounce of rhus in one half-pint 
of water. 

Only in the early stages, when the tumor is forming, will internal 
remedies be of any avail. When the splint is confirmed and the remedies 
already named have failed, shave the hair from the tumor and with a thin, 
broad knife, or a flat piece of wood, lay on a thick coating, zvithozit rzibbing 
it i?z, of the following preparation: 




Varieties 
of Splint, 
i, High Splint. 
2, Low Splint. 3, 
Bony Growth on 
the Skin, also call- 
ed Splint. 



Iodine, 

Caustic potash, 
Sulphuric acid, 
Palm oil, 



2 drachms. 
2 drachms. 
2 drachms, 
i^ ounce. 



Mix. 



Apply as directed, keeping the horse's head tied up for twenty-four 
hours, and further treatment will be unnecessary, except that in some cases a 
repetition of this application will be needed in ten days or two weeks. 
In place of other remedies, sixty grains of corrosive sublimate may be put 
In one pint of water and rubbed in night and morning until the skin gets 
scurfy" and lender. After discontinuing it for a day or two, rub the part 
with oil and thoroughly wash it with soap and water; then apply again. 
In rare cases the surgeon may be compelled to open the skin just below 
the splint, introduce a knife with a convex edge, turn the edge downward 
when the knife reaches the splint, and make two or three cuts in the sheath 
of the bone. Then further treatment is unnecessary, except the care needed 
for cuts in general. 



166 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

BRUSHING. 

Horses with defective formation of the legs and those which are badly 
fed are subject to brushing, which consists in a foot striking the opposite 
fetlock, or the part above this, usually on the hind leg. 

Treatment. — If there be swelling and soreness, apply cloths saturated 
in arnica-solution to remove the enlargement and inflammation. Then care- 
fully strap around the joint a leather or India-rubber boot (a woolen boot 
turned down over the joint will answer, though not so well). If the horse 
has been poorly fed, strengthen the constitution by nutritious food. Give 
perfect rest until the bruise is healed. A repetition of the injury may 
sometimes be prevented by putting. feather-edged shoes on the hind feet y 
though they are useless on the fore feet. This throws the joints farther apart. 
In cutting of the fore feet, make the shoeing perfectly level, carefully rasp- 
ing off the part which strikes. It may, however, be necessary to use a boot 
all the time. 

SPEEDY CUT. 

Speedy cut occurs during rapid action, usually in horses with poorly- 
shaped legs, and is caused by one or both feet striking the opposite fetlock 
or the part above it. The pain is so much greater, and the shock to the 
system so much more severe, that it is a more dangerous trouble than 
brushing. It causes the horse to suddenly fall, with the rider, at high speed. 
A small bare place, partially covered with hair, will be found on the inside 
of the shank-bone; perhaps a cut, scab, or bi*eak in the skin. In bnd cases 
the sheath of the bone and the bone itself may be swollen. 

Treatment. — The treatment is the same as in Brushing. Usually, 
however, a boot must be made with a pad on the inside, reaching down to 
the fetlock from the knee and held in place by buckles. 

OVER-REACH AND TREAD. 

A wound made on the back part of the crown of the front foot by the 
hind foot is called an over-reach. One made on the corresponding part of 
the hind foot by a horse traveling behind is called a tread. 

Treatment. — Owing to the peculiar organism of this part of the 
horse a cure is rarely effected, yet the possible serious nature of such 
wounds calls for strict attention. Any portion of the skin or horn that may 
be detached should be removed with scissors and the wound be cleansed 
and dressed with compound tincture of aloes and myrrh put on soft tow, 



THE HORSE THE EXTREMITIES. ] 67 

and bound on the- wound. Leave this on two days; then it may be 
changed every day until the cure is effected. Avoid poultices and fomenta- 
tions, except in cases of neglect, after pus has formed, when fomentation 
is advisable, with calendula-lotion applied. Long neglect may lead to quittor. 

QUITTOR. 

Quittor is an ulcer in the foot, usually on the inside, with an opening 
on the crown between the hoof and hair. It is caused by neglected or 
badly-treated overreach or tread; by a prick in shoeing, nail, or other 
sharp substance, which sets up inflammation, with matter pushing itself up 
to the crown; by pus from corns; injuries of the feet in general. It re- 
quires prompt and good treatment to prevent ulceration of the adjoining 
cartilages. 

Symptoms. — Lameness; heat; pain in a swelling found in the bulb of 
the heel or some part of the crown just above the hoof, where a little 
matter oozes out; Iry removing the horn some parts are found changed in 
color, with matter that is black and offensive. 

Treatment. — -Let out the matter when possible and inject calendula- 
lotion, one part of the tincture to four of water, into the tumor night and 
morning; then wrap the foot in a warm turnip or meal poultice. Rasp 
the wall of the foot under the conical swelling or crown until it springs on 





Quittor before Pus Breaks Through 

the Crown. Quittor after Pus Breaks Out. 

pressure of the finger. After inflammation is reduced, discontinue the poul- 
tice and merely dress the sore on the crown with the calendula-lotion. 
Either remove the shoe or use the bar-pattern, cutting away the lower por- 
tion of the hoof of the affected quarter so it can not rest on the bar. In 
long-standing cases, the discharge having become thin and greenish, the 
best iniection is made of five grains of corrosive sublimate and an ounce of 
water, repeated daily until a cure is made. Before pus forms the injury 
may be removed by bathing the affected part in arnica-lotion, one part of 
the tincture to four of water, at first every three hours, then twice daily 
until all traces of the disorder have disappeared. 



168 



the; veterinary doctor. 



NAVICULAR DISEASE. 




The navicular bone is behind and below the lower bone of the pastern 
and above the coffin bone of the hoof. Diseases of this bone lead to many- 
forms of obscure lameness. The bone may become contracted as a result, 
and this contraction has been erroneously considered by some the cause of 
the disease. The main causes are strain of the tendon that passes over the 
bone downward to the coffin, over-exertion, or long-continued work on 
hard roads, by which the sac between the tendon and the bone becomes in- 
flamed and its oily fluid is stopped, leading to ulceration of the bone and 
membrane. 

Symptoms. — The horse stands with legs extended, putting the weight 
on the toe, the heel being lifted; perhaps the fetlock is bent, the toe thrown 
forward and stuck into the ground; lameness; heat; tenderness of the foot; 




Section os - the Foot and Pasterns. 

A, Coffin Bone. B, Navicular Bone, the seat of Navicular Disease. C, Coronary or Lower Pastern 
Bone. F, Cannon or Shank Bone. G, Horny Frog;. H, Sensitive Frog-. K, Sensitive Sole. L, Horny 
or Sensitive Sole. M, Outer Wall or Crust. N, Laminated Leaves or Horny Plates. O, Sensitive 
Lamina; or Plates, the Chief Seat of Founder. 



lameness diminishes with exercise; pressure in the hollow of the pastern 
gives pain; tendon usually a little larger than is natural. After the dis- 
ease has run some time, pressure of the thumb on the hollow of the heel 
causes pain; the inside quarter of the foot becomes straighter, and ridges 



THE HOUSE THE EXTREMITIES. 



169 



form on that part of the hoof; the foot and the sole grow more concave ; 
the horn increases in quantity; thrush may form; tenderness at the point of 
the frog; perhaps fungoid granulations. 

Treatment. — First remove the shoe and pare the sole until it yields 
under the thumb; then put the foot in a poultice kept wet with warm 
water. In a few days leave off the poultice and keep the animal standing 
in wet yellow clay in the day, putting wet swabs and pads on the feet at 




Position often Assumed in Navicular Disease. 

night. Fine sand is good to cover the floor of the stable with. After in- 
flammation has subsided, and in old, confirmed attacks, blistering is good, 
but a seton passed through the frog by a surgeon is better, leaving it in four 
weeks and bathing night and morning with warm water. If granulations 
form, touch them with caustic. Give five drops of aconite every four hours 
to aid in reducing inflammation. A similar dose of rhus is desirable when 
a sprain of the tendon is suspected. When inflammation of the cartilages 
is supposed to exist, ten drops of phosphoric acid in a little water three 
times a day is advisable. Should all the foregoing fail, it may be necessary 
for the surgeon to separate the nerve to deaden the sense of feeling. 

FOUNDER.— FEVER IN THE FEET.— LAMINITIS. 



These terms are applied to inflammation of the tendons, ligaments, 
muscles, bone-extremities and tissues of the feet (see cut 168). It is caused 
by traveling on hard roads when the horse is fat or otherwise unprepared 
for quick work; standing in the water when the animal is much heated, fol- 
lowed by a chill; standing a considerable time tied up; fever; inflammation 
of the womb; inflammation of the lungs, or other constitutional trouble; ex- 
cessive food. 



170 



THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 



Symptoms. — Shivering, followed by sweats; quick, full pulse; heav- 
ing flanks; short, quick breathing; lifting the feet in alternation, or fre- 
quently lying down and rising; animal fixed to one place, with back arched 
and hind legs under the body; if one attempts to lift the well foot, the 
animal crouches low or falls, and when down lies at full length; groans j 
looks toward the affected feet; crown hot and pained by slight blows. 

Treatment. — Remove the shoes; cover the floor of the box with 
sawdust, put straw on it, and encourage the horse to lie down ; thin the 
sole and apply a poultice made of turnip, or, still better, yellow clay, first 
taking out all small stones or grit, keeping the clay wet by pouring cold 
water upon it. In a few days the shoes may be tacked on (as may be done 
from the beginning in mild cases), and wet felt pads and swabs be put on. 
If the horse be allowed to stand, these poultices and cloths .may be omitted,, 
and the feet be put in some vessels containing warm water, the temperature 
being raised gradually as high as the hand can well bear. Arnica tincture,, 
in five times its quantity of water, may be used as a lotion to bathe the 
ankles and legs every three hours; or the feet may be put into vessels con- 
taining the lotion ; or cloths maybe saturated in it and wrapped around 
the pastern of the affected legs, tow similarly soaked being put into the soles. 

As an internal remedy, give five to ten 
drops of aconite every hour or two in 
a little water for very hot feet, especi- 
ally at the crown; great lameness;, 
horse unwilling to move, lies down,, 
groans, standing with the hind feet 
drawn under the body; fever; quick,, 
full pulse; frequent breathing; hot 
mouth. Give arnica, as directed for 
aconite, for founder from wounding 
the feet in fast or long drives on hard 
roads, and for stiff legs and inflamed 
feet. Give arsenicum for founder from 
excessive food; feet very tender and 
painful; and when aconite has reduced the primary violent symptoms,. 
Phosphoric acid is very important for lameness, hot and tender feet, and 
softening of the horn. Nux vomica is - good for loss of appetite; abdomen 
drawn up; paralysis of muscles. When fever or inflammation arises in the 
feet without any assignable cause, wash them thoroughly with tepid water 
to remove dirt and other foreign matters, and apply tincture of arnica in the 
earliest stages, before ulceration ensues, or when some other affection is 
threatened. Give mild, easily digested food and cooling drinks. 




Frequent Position in Acute 
Laminitis. 



THE HORSE THE EXTREMITIES. 171 

CHRONIC FOUNDER OR LAMINITIS. 

The acute form of founder, or laminitis, which has been described above^, 
may lead to a chronic type, and this is to be dreaded. 

Symptoms. — Feeling of lameness, though not actual lameness, in both, 
fore legs, which are unnaturally warm; tapping the front legs causes pain; 
the animal lifts his feet but little in walking, and puts his heels upon the- 
ground; the sole becomes flat or convex; the crust breaks easily; more 
lameness with a weight on the back than when the animal is led on a trot* 

Treatment. — If no inflammation be perceptible, internal remedies 
are useless; but if it be noticed before the tissues lose elasticity, or the foot, 
becomes changed in appearance, give rhus three times a day. Keep felt 
pads on the feet; apply to the crowns of the feet cloths soaked in rhus-lo- 
tion. Feed mashes and green food. Favorable results will be experienced 
by removing the shoes and turning the animal into a large stall, the floor 
being well covered with sawdust or fine tan-bark. If the foot becomes 
again elastic, work on soft ground may be done, but a very short walk on 
hard ground will produce inflammation. A thin layer of rubber or leather- 
between the shoe and hoof will do much to prevent a return. 

PUMICED FOOT. 

This is a flatness or convexity of the sole, with a soft, spongy horn- 
growth, the middle of the front part of the hoof being depressed. It is a 
result of founder. 

Treatment. — It is incurable. Relief may be given by putting on 
a broad-webbed shoe, with gutta-percha or leather under it. Where the- 
crust is much lower than the sole, a thick shoe with a narrow web is better,, 
a piece of gutta-percha the breadth of the heel of the shoe being put next 
to the crust to raise the sole from the ground. Require only slow work,, 
and that with very much rest. Dress the sole daily with hot tar. 

SEEDY TOE. 

Seedy toe arises often without an assignable cause, though it may fol- 
low founder, or result from dirt or gravel working in at the edge of the 
sole, or from the clip of a shoe pressing on a hoof that is deficient in cohe- 
sive power, from blows, as from too hard hammering, and other means of 
violence. 

Symptoms. — The horn at the toe crumbles off like sawdust or rotten 
wood; an opening leads up between the outer and inner crusts of the wall 




172 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

of the hoof, sometimes going as high as the crown; tapping on the wall 
with a hammer determines the extent of the separation. Difficulty may be 
found in getting a piece of horn sufficient to hold a nail, and 
side clips may be necessary. 

Treatment. — Cut away the crust so far as it is 
separated from the underlying layers of horn, and wrap the 
foot in tow and tar, bound on with tapes; a mild blister at 
the crown will hasten the growth of the wall. Another 
Removal' of^a successful plan is to keep the horse standing in clay after 
covering the foot with adhesive dressing, not blistering at all. 

THRUSH IN THE FEET. 

This is an offensive discharge from the frog, resulting from an inflam- 
mation of its sensitive parts. The discharge may be scanty or free, and if 
the disease be neglected, it may result in injury to the soles, frog and heel, 
causing canker (see under Canker). It is caused by contraction of the 
boof; keeping the foot wet with urine; frequent use of cow-dung for stop- 
ping up the frog; dirt or moisture in the frog; bruises. 

Treatment. — Remove all portions of the bone that are detached or 
run under; in case of much lameness or inflammation, apply warm poul- 
tices to the feet for two or three days, afterward putting into the cleft of 
the frog tow steeped in a lotion of one part of tincture of calendula to 
three of water. If the heels be contracted and high on the front feet, tips 
are the best expedient for producing a healthy condition. It may be neces- 
sary to get leather soles for horses that are in the habit of standing in their 
dung. If thei"e be no lamenesss or contraction of the hoof, an application 
of calomel, in the powder, to the affected parts, will usually effect a cure. 
If, however, it be considered dangerous to stop quickly the discharge, do 
not use calomel, but put eight ounces of tar or treacle and one ounce of 
pulverized sulphate of copper in a ladle and let them simmer until a red- 
dish-brown color appears, and apply a small amount every second day on 
tow to the cleft of the frog. A lotion of one part of carbolic acid to 
twenty of water is deemed the best of all remedies by good authorities, the 
inflamed part being bathed with it. Creosote, ten drops internally four 
times a day, is useful for healing the part and correcting the bad state of 
the constitution. Given internally, with an external use of carbolic-lotion, 
it is excellent. Phosphoric acid, given as directed for creosote, is desirable 
when inflammation of the deep tissues of the foot is threatened. Give 
light and nutritious food, not stimulating, with rest and a perfectly clean 
rstable. 



THE HORSE THE EXTREMITIES, 173 

CANKER IN THE FEET. 

Canker ir. tne feet often results from neglected thrush, the inflamma- 
tion extending from the horny frog to the horny sole, when a fungus- 
secretion forms. The coffin bone may be affected. Its causes are the same 
as in thrush — long-continued moisture, especially with decomposition and' 
heat. In some cases it may be constitutional, or it may follow grease. 

Symptoms. — Where horn is removed from the sole, fungous growths 
appear, covered with a whitish, offensive matter. In other parts the horn 
is discolored, with a dark-colored fluid underneath. When the disease has. 
run some time, the whole frog and sole may be ulcerated. 

Treatment. — Freely expose the diseased parts by removing all dead 
or detached pieces of horn. Put on a shoe with a plate to cover the frog,, 
attaching this plate to the toe by a hinge, and to the heel by a bar or two 
screws; this shoe furnishes pressure to the frog, which is all-important ';, 
and makes dressing possible without removing the shoe. A substitute is 
gutta-purcha heated in boiling water and slipped under the shoe. This can 
be taken out and put in without removal of the shoe. In most cases the 
morbid growth will be stopped and healthy horn grow by giving Fowler's 
Solution of arsenic three times a day internally, with an external use of 
carbolic acid applied with pressure. The most certain remedy is a caustic 
(nitric acid, sulphate of copper, carbolic acid or tar) applied under the 
shoes made as above described, putting tow under the iron or gutta-percha 
sole to secure pressure. The caustic-dressing may be repeated every two 
or three days until the horn becomes healthy. When only a thin, watery 
discharge is seen, chloride of zinc, two grains to one ounce of water, or 
calomel in powder, applied daily, will usually suffice. 

CORNS. 

A corn is a very sensitive, fungus-like growth of horny matter and 
granulations Of a reddish color between the horny sole and sensitive part 
of the foot, generally at the inside of the sole of the fore feet. In some 
cases a pus-like matter forms under the sole, or breaks out at the crown as 
in quittor. It is caused by contraction of the hoof or pressure from bad 
shoeing. 

Symptoms. — The angle between the bars and crust is of a dark-red 
color, soft, fungus-like, painful, and perhaps attended with lameness. 

Treatment. — For much inflammation and formation of pus, remove 
the bars and other means of pressure, and apply at least twice a day arnica- 
lotion, one part of the tincture to four of water. In most cases it is suffi- 



174 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

■cient to lower the heel so as to remove the pressure of the shoe, then to cut 
away the corn as far as possible and dress it with muriate of antimony, put- 
ting on a bar-shoe. If the horse has strong feet, it may suffice to cut 
away the bars, put on tips without cutting down the heels, and dress with 
muriate of ammonia. For riding-horses do not use bar-shoes, but thicken 
the shoe a little, or spring it at the heel. A three-quarter shoe has been 
used in such cases with great benefit and comfort to the horse. 

SANDCRACK. 

Sandcrack is a fissure or partition in the hoof, usually at the inside 
quarter of a fore foot, or in front of a hind one. Its chief causes are dryness 
and brittleness of the hoof from an injury to the crown-surface, or from 
a lack of the gluey matter which binds the fibers, the latter cause being 
common in warm, sandy countries. 

Treatment. — Remove all pressure of the shoe beneath the crack, a 
bar-shoe being the best in most cases. Arnica-lotion will relieve pain and 
lameness, and an application of powdered blood-root will check the appear- 
ance of proud flesh. Should the sensitive layers of the hoof be squeezed 
by the crack, resulting in lameness ; thin down the edges of the horn at- the 
crack and foment the foot frequently until all inflammation subsides. The 






Sandcrack Dressed and Curved or Angular A Foot with Toe-Sandcrack, 

Shod. Fissures for Cure of Bandaged when Work is Re- 

Sandcrack. quired. 

crack should be closed as soon as possible, and prevented from extending up 
to the crown. To this end, clean out the crack, rasp its edges thin, take a 
sharp, red-hot firing-iron, and if the sensitive layers be not exposed, run it 
slightly down into the crack until it causes a gluey discharge, which will 
hold the sides together. Then make short horizontal fissures nearly 
-through the horn, one above and one below the crack, and cover them and 
the whole wall of the hoof with shoemaker's wax, bound on with broad 
tape, to keep the edges of the crack together, to exclude moisture and dirt, 
and to protect the new horn as it grows from the top downward. The 
treatment may necessarily be long, but if carefully observed will effect a 



THE HORSE — THE EXTREMITIES. 175 

cure, Another method is to draw the crack together and put over it a cap 
made of thin steel, secured by small screws introduced into the hard horn 
of the hoof. This and the use of a bar-shoe will be effectual. 

FALSE QUARTER. 

This consists in a separation of the horny fibers of the foot, similar to 
that in sandcrack, which produces lameness and weakness in the affected 
heel. Its causes are injury to the crown in quittor; treading of the horse 
on his inside quarter; treading on the outside by another horse; other ex- 
ternal causes. 

Symptoms. — Deficiency of horn in the side of the hoof, or a fissure, 
generally with a horny bottom; in some cases, exposure of the sensitive 
layers, which become inflamed, attended with oozing of matter or blood, 
and lameness. 

Treatment. — In the absence of inflammation, rasp the quarter until 
it springs under the thumb; j:>ut on a bar-shoe that does not press o?i the 
affected quarter. Take the horse from 
work and apply a blister to the crown • 
or fill up the fissure with an adhesive 
dressing, as tar, pitch, or heated shoe- 
maker's wax, putting broad tape over 
_ the whole. When the fissure is open at A J E H °^°^ S 
the bottom and blood or matter oozes out, Q UARTER » 
rasp the quarter thin, put on a bar-shoe, and bathe the foot with hot water 
and a lotion of calendula during the day, a tablespoonful of the tincture of 
calendula to a tumblerful of water; at night, apply dirt wet in the same 
lotion, and upon it a linseed or turnip poultice. If work be required when 
the crack is open, fasten on lint and calendula-ointment with tapes. 

SORE SHINS. 

By this term is meant a disease which is primarily an inflammation of 
the covering of the front part of the bones from the knee to the fetlock. 
It occurs most often in young horses, and results from concussion incident 
to fast work. 

Symptoms. — Inflammation of the sheath of the bones below the knee, 
followed by bony matter in small knobs, sometimes in layers, on the knee. 

Treatment. — Rhus-lotion, one ounce of the tincture to fifteen ounces 
of water, should be applied several times daily, and ten drops be given in- 
ternally every four or five hours. This will arrest if not cure the trouble. 





176 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

RINGBONE AND SIDEBONE. 

Ringbone is a bony enlargement on the pastern-bone just above the 
crown, finally surrounding the bone. Sidebone is a like enlargement at 
the back part of the crown of the foot, either inside or outside; the name 
is also applied to ossification of the elastic wings of the bone of the foot, 
which causes a change in the structure, reducing or destroying the elas- 
ticity, and producing lameness. Sometimes both disorders exist at 
once in the same leg, especially in heavy draught-horses, destroying all 
action save in the fetlock. The hind legs are less often affected than the 
fore ones, though all four may be attacked at the same time. The chief 
causes are a false step; a dislocation; a blow; great strain on the ligaments 
of the joints; perhaps hereditary weakness of the fibers and ligaments. 

Symptoms. — In ringbone, a hard, unyielding enlargement of bone- 
above the crown of the foot; in sidebone, a similar growth a little lower; 
pain from motion; affected parts in first stages hot, tender, perhaps swollen; 
occasionally great throbbing of the arteries. 

Treatment. — In the first stages, for pain on motion, hot, tender,, 
swollen parts, or for throbbing arteries, give aconite internally, and apply 
it externally by saturating a linen rag in dilute tincture — one part to six of 
water — binding it on and keeping it moist until inflammation wholly disap- 
pears. A lotion of rhus, one ounce of tincture in fifteen ounces of water 
applied several times a day externally, a teaspoonful of the same dilution 
being given internally every four hours, is beneficial. In the early stages 
this will cure ringbone. A lotion of corrosive sublimate, sixty grains 
dissolved in one pint of hot water, is highly recommended. Rub it in until 
the skin gets thin and scurfy, that is, for a few days; then discontinue a 
day or two and rub the parts with oil and wash well with soap and water. 
After this rub it on again. Put on a bar-shoe, the bar resting on the balls 
of the frog, and pare the hoof so as not to rest on the shoe. Continue the 
use of this shoe w«hen work is resumed. Considerable time is required. 

HOOF-BOUND.— CONTRACTION OF THE HOOF. 

These terms are applied to a contraction of the foot, which may be 
natural, and which may be aggravated if not independently caused by 
defects of shoeing; leaving the shoes on too long; too much paring; neglect 
in providing moisture by pads for the soles; excessive litter lying all the 
time in the stall; slow inflammation of the fleshy parts and bone-coating 
near the horny surface ; irregular and insufficient exercise, with rich or 
excessive feeding:. 



THE HORSE THE EXTREMITIES. 



177 



Symptoms. — If it comes on suddenly, lameness occurs at once; if 
•gradually, lameness comes on slowly ; shuffling of the feet, or very slight 
lifting of them; repeated stumbling; narrow heels (especially the inner 
•one) of the fore feet; the affected foot while the horse stands is placed 
forward; both feet being affected, this position is taken by them alternately; 
occasionally the foot is pinched up so as to offer little surface to the ground; 
sometimes marked hollowness of the foot, obscurity of the sole, and the 
clefts of the frog nearly invisible; retraction and indentation externally 
between the crown and crust, generally midway between them. 

Treatment. — Regular exercise, plenty of moisture properly applied 
with pads to the foot, careful fastening of the shoes, with frequent changes 
of the same, will prevent further development, and correct the trouble. 

OPEN JOINTS. 

The pastern, hock, knee, and stifle joints are liable to be opened by 
blows, falls, sharp-pointed instruments and other mechanical agencies. 



Mi 




Sling for Open Joints. 



Symptoms. — Joint-oil, like the white of an egg, is discharged; in a 
day or so swelling and fever; pain; perhaps lock-jaw, or permanent 
stiffness of the joint. 

Treatment. — Keep the horse quiet so the joint is not in action. If 
the opening be large, or when it is in a large joint, as the stifle, put the 
horse in slings. Ten drops of aconite every three hours should be given 
If there be much pain and fever. The greatest difficulty, aside from 



178 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

keeping the horse quiet, is to close the opening and stop th& discharge, 
Various expedients are resorted to. In slight cases the white of an egg y 
beaten well and applied to the opening, may stop the oil. When the 
opening is large, one part of calendula tincture to three of water is better, 
and may suffice. Perhaps the best, as well as the simplest, method is to 
apply to the opening with the handle of a spoon fresh finely-powdered, 
slaked lime, putting it on every time the oil appears, both day and night, 
never removing one coat, but putting every new application upon the old. 
In some cases the only effective means is the sewing of the wound, leaving 
a chance for it to swell without tearing out the stitches. 

In open knee-joint, cleanse the wound thoroughly, cut off with scissors 
the cut parts which will eventually slough off, and stitch up the wound, 
after which it may be well to apply the white of egg, spread on a cloth 
and bound with broad tape. Keep the horse's head tied up so he can not 
lie down. In about a week remove the bandage and cleanse the wound, 
not removing the coaguliim in the opening, and keeping water out of 
it. After the discharge stops apply one part of calendula to eight parts 
of water four times a day or oftener. The knee may be kept at rest by a 
gutta-percha splint, twelve inches long and four wide, first softened in 
hot water, then fitted snugly to the irregularities of the back part of the 
leg, and secured by bandages around the leg above and below the knee. 
A small opening may be made in the front to admit applications for the 
wound. Though for all large openings the slaked lime is the best applica- 
tion, powdered sulphate of zinc, con-osive sublimate, collodion, and cotton- 
wool have been used with marked effects. A strong decoction of butternut 
bark is very effectual. The diet should consist of green food and bran- 
mashes. 

PRICK IN THE FOOT. 

Prick in the foot arises from the smith driving a nail so as to injure 
the sensitive parts of the foot; from the animal picking up a sharp stone, 
thorn, piece of glass, nail, or other sharp body, which in some cases enters 
the toe, wounds a joint, and lets out joint-oil. 

Symptoms. — If the cause is a nail in shoeing, the horse may flinch at 
the time, or may go lame the next day, being pained if the hoof be tapped 
with a hammer; lameness; hot and tenderfoot; sometimes a black, pus- 
like discharge issues from the wound when opened ; the sole probably 
" under-run." 

Treatment. — Make a free opening for the matter to escape; bathe 
the foot for a half-hour in warm water; pour in a solution of calendula, one 



THE HORSE THE EXTREMITIES. 



179 



part to six of water, and put on a poultice of turnip or linseed-meal, con- 
tinuing it as long as matter forms. When the pus stops, tack on the shoe 
and keep on the foot a felt pad wet with water, applying the calendula- 
lotion twice a day. If work be required before horn has covered the wound, 
use a leather sole and tar. Clean out the hole by cutting away the horn, 
put in tar, and burn with a hot iron. This will both keep out the dirt and 
cure wounds that result from pricks of nails, tnorns, and the like. 





4T 



CHAPTER X. 

GENERAL DISEASES AND INJURIES. 

SIMPLE FEVER. 

IMPLE fever has various causes : Sudden changes from heat to cold* 
especially when the system is reduced by too much exercise; bad 
food and air; great changes in the weather; shedding the coat, 
which is a very common cause; indigestion, constipation, and vari- 
ous other constitutional derangements. 

Symptoms. — A very common symptom is a staring coat, with cold 
legs perhaps with a shivering fit and trembling of the muscles on the 
shoulder-quartei's and flanks; the animal yawns-, hangs his head, and seems 
unwilling to move; the pulse weak, variable, and not much increased in 
frequency, and the appetite lost. In the second stage, the coat is smooth 
and the shivering fit is succeeded by a higher temperature throughout the 
body, sometimes increasing to sweating; but generally the skin is hot and 
dry, as well as the mouth and all of the internal organs, especially the mem- 
brane lining the alimentary canal, causing costiveness; urine scanty, high- 
colored, and difficult of passage; pulse and breathing hurried; the animal is 
restless, frequently lying down for a short time, shifting his legs often, 
dropping his ears, and being generally listless and indifferent, though he 
will plunge his nose into cold water and hold in his mouth water to cool 
his tongue, which may seem to be red at the edges and point, the center 
being white and perhaps creased. Should the pulse continue small and 
quick, and the breath and dung offensive, typhoid fever has set in, and to 
the article on that the reader is referred. If the symptoms remain strong 
and not relieved for some length of time, any organ inherently susceptible 
to weakness will suffer functional and organic derangement, and the disor- 
der is called " symptomatic fever." This is usually due to excess of riding, 
driving, heat or feeding, though it is also caused by injuries about the joints 
and feet, and frequently attends rheumatic troubles. Free feeding in a warm 



180 




EXTERNAL MARKS OF DISEASE. 



Caries of the lower jaw. 

Fistula of the parotid duct. 

Bony excrescence or Exosto- 
sis of the lower jaw. 

Swelling- by pressure of the 
bridle. 

Poil-evil. 

Inflamed gland. 

Inflamed jugular vein. 

Fungus tumor, produced by 
pressure of the collar. 

Fistula in the withers. 



10. 


Saddle-gall. 


21. 


Capped hock. 


II. 


Tumor of the elbow. 


22. 


Mallenders. 


12. 


Induration of the knee. 


23- 


Spavin. 


13- 


Clap of the back sinews. 


24. 


Curb. 


H- 


Mallenders. 


25- 


Swelled sinews. 


i.v 


Splint. 


26. 


Thick leg. 


1 6. 


Ring-bone. 


27. 


Grease. 


J7- 


A Tread upon the coronet. 


28. 


A crack in front of the foot, 


1 8. 


Quittor. 




called cow-crack. 


19. 


Sandcrack. 


29. 


Quarter-crack. 


20. 


Contracted or Ring foot of a 


3°- 


Ventral hernia. 




foundered horse. 


3 1 - 


Rat-Tail. 



181 



182 the; vetkrinary doctor. 

stable immediately after the horse has come off of pasture may cause dis- 
orders of the digestive organs which will terminate in this fever, and inflam- 
mation from local injuries, if not immediately reduced, may affect the whole 
animal, giving rise to a form of fever which is alarming and should be 
•carefully treated, while the simple form need cause no uneasiness unless the 
affection take a local seating. 

Treatment. — When the coat stares, or the animal shivers, yawns, 
hangs his head, and is unwilling to move, and the pulse is small, if these 
symptoms are not the result of over-fatigue, aconite should be given every 
twenty minutes, until the shivering fit is succeeded by the hot stage, when, 
if the pulse is full and quick, and the body hot or sweating, it may be con- 
tinued every fourth hour. Symptoms for aconite are also restlessness, 
short, painful, anxious breathing, much trembling, burning, dry mouth, 
red eyes and nose, great thirst, dry, hot skin. Belladonna is often useful 
when aconite does not wholly relieve the symptoms for which it was de- 
signed. After the shivering fit, if the pulse should remain weak and not 
much increased, the dung hard, and the urine yellow, or white and turbid, 
nux vomica should be given every four hours. Ammonium causticum is 
needed when, in addition to the symptoms calling for aconite, we also find 
extreme exhaustion; listlessness; short and difficult breathing; restlessness 
even when lying down; very cold ears, nose and legs; sweats; heaving 
flanks, at which the animal occasionally looks in a despondent manner; 
pulse ninety to one hundred, yet small, feeble, and quite indistinct; no 
passage of dung. Give bryonia if there be great weakness and unwilling- 
ness to move; hard and quick pulse; short and painful breathing, attended 
with catching at the sides and a grunt; pain on pressure of the ribs; fre- 
quent shaking and shivering; great thirst; sweats at night; scanty urine; 
constipation. Arsenicum may especially be used when the animal is re- 
covering. In the way of general care, instead of corn frequently give warm 
bran-mashes in small quantities. Sustain the strength, when declining, 
with a drench of a quart of gruel. If diarrhoea sets in, treat it with cold 
water and flour as a drink. When drinking-water is given, make it tepid. 
Clover and timothy are desirable when there is no purging. Arrowroot in 
a little wine is good for the weakness in the later stages of fever. Use 
additional clothing and wrap the legs in flannel if they are cold. Keep 
the stall cool. If it be very cool weather, the temperature should be about 
55 F. Provide plenty of clean bedding. After the fever the animal may 
have a short walk, and gradually take his accustomed food and work. For 
constipation an occasional injection of warm water will be advantageous. 
Remember that a feverish condition often attends a specific disorder whose 
treatment is requisite to the cure of the fever. 



THE HORSE GENERAL DISEASES AND INJURIES. 183 

i 

TYPHOID FEVER. 

This form of fever is quite common among horses. It is indicated by 
offensive breath and evacuations, quick, small pulse, black tongue, and loss 
of strength from the first. Among its causes are atmospheric influences, 
as improper ventilation, with lack of regard to general hygiene. In cold 
weather it is usually traced to the closing of all inlets for fresh air, by which 
the blood is deprived of the requisite oxygen. Thus the organs which 
supply and purify the blood and conduct the circulation are deranged and 
their fluid has undergone those damaging changes which are familiarly 
known as " poisoning of the blood." It seldom continues a great time 
without being complicated with other disorders connected with some part 
that is specially involved, as the throat or stomach. It may also arise from 
contagion in unhealthy stables, or even in apartments that are wholesome 
and well ventilated. 

Symptoi7is. — A shivering fit, followed by a coldness of the skin and ex- 
tremities; small and quick pulse; scanty and high-colored urine; the bowels, 
at first constipated and the discharges covered with slime, become relaxed, 
the discharges being offensive; the nasal membrane is of a dark-red color or 
leaden, and sometimes a red serum may be seen trickling from it; the tongue 
is red at the edges, but the middle is a dirty-white, with a brownish streak 
down the center; offensive breath. Should the disease prove fatal, cold 
clammy sweats will cover the body, violent diarrhoea or dysentery ensue, 
and then death will soon take place-. 

Treatment. — Ammonium causticum may be given every third hour 
if extreme debility be present and the surface of the body be cold; it is also 
an excellent remedy when the fever is of a putrid type and the breath is 
very offensive; in some cases it is best to alternate it with mercurius corrosi- 
vus. Nux vomica is needed for sudden decline of strength, abdominal pains, 
quick and feeble pulse, fluttering of the heart, cold extremities, and spasm 
of the muscles of the pharynx and gullet; it is especially useful when the 
body is warm, the pulse quick and feeble, the urine scanty and high-colored, 
and the bowels constipated, a dose every two hours being suitable. If 
diarrhoea sets in, with swelling in the sheath and legs, arsenicum should be 
given; the same is particularly useful for such a condition in the later stages 
when there is great prostration, and when abscesses of a malignant charac- 
ter form about the head and other parts of the body. When dysentery comes 
on, with bloody discharges from the bowels, mercurius corrosivus should be 
used instead of arsenicum, every two hours until the blood disappears from 
the discharges, the arsenicum being then resumed. The best diet consists 
of arrowroot and gruel, in drenches of a quart at a time if the horse will 



184 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

not voluntarily take them. Soft bran-mashes, boiled oats or barley, oil- 
cake, and the like, may be given in small quantities. Insure pure air and 
water, perfect cleanliness and warm clothing, until health is restored. 

SCARLET FEVER. 

Scarlet fever is marked by scarlet spots on the mucous membrane of 
the nose and lips, varying in size from a pin-head to a pea. In this dis- 
order patches of hair stand up on different parts of the body. It is both 
simple and malignant. 

Symptoms. — The symptoms of the simple form, which usually sets in 
from the third to the sixth day of epidemic catarrh, are elevated patches of 
hair on the neck and legs, in some cases confined to the hind legs, which 
exist without any elevations on the skin below; swollen limbs; pulse some- 
times considerably increased, sometimes but little; scarlet spots on the mucous 
membrane of the nose, occasionally in only one nostril; any soreness of 
the throat previously existing in catarrh may or may not be greatly in- 
creased. At this stage the horse may be cured by judicious treatment in 
a dry, comfortable stall; but if left in unfavorable circumstances, a malig- 
nant form of this fever or other disease will probably set in, endangering 
the animal's life. The malignant form may appear with violence at once, 
or may succeed the simple type. The horse for some days has apparently 
been affected wuh influenza or catarrh, with severe sore throat, cough., 
poor or no appetite, general weakness, and watery discharges from the 
nostrils; then the condition suddenly changes, the limbs become swollen 
throughout, or in lumps which are many and large, hard, painful and hot; 
and portions not swollen have elevated patches of hair; the nostrils dis- 
charge a mixture of blood, serum and watery or foul matter; the throat 
becomes intensely sore; the spots on the membrane of the nose become 
large, and of a deep-scarlet color; the cough grows worse and suffocating; 
the pulse is weak and feeble, often running up to 90 or 100 per minute; 
the swollen limbs are very sensitive, and the animal, if not disturbed, will 
stand perfectly still for hours. As the disease grows worse, large blisters 
will appear on the limbs, mainly around the joints, which burst and give out 
a bright, transparent fluid that is very irritating to the surrounding surface. 
Sometimes the extremities, the ears for example, will appear white, the 
skin of the part shrinks and is dry and hard, the whitened parts breaking 
off in a day or two, and leaving a raw surface which gives off a watery 
discharge. The appetite is gone, constipation ensues, and the urine is 
scanty and of a brown or yellow color. Within a day from the beginning 
the membrane of the nose has large spo^s of a purple color which present 



THE HORSE GENERAL DISEASES AND INJURIES. 185 

a raw and watery surface — like changes taking place in the blisters around 
the joints. 

Under favorable circumstances the simple type will abate about the 
fourth or fifth day, but the malignant form generally runs seven or eight 
days before a change takes place. In extreme cases the purple spots may 
be seen under the skin and in the mucous membranes, and this condition be 
followed by an emaciated and loathsome appearance of the animal. When 
the scarlet blotches or elevated patches of hair appear early, and the pulse 
has a firmness and regularity in its beats, the result will probably be favor- 
able; but slight hopes of recovery can be entertained if there be much 
weakness, a feeble and irregular pulse, a change of the scarlet blotches to 
purple, a swelling of the head, and a typhoid type in the fever. 

Treatment. — When the throat is the chief part affected, when the 
swelling of the limbs comes on suddenly and is hot and painful, and when 
the blotches on the nasal membrane are of a bright-scarlet color, bella- 
donna should be given. If the throat is relieved by belladonna, and the 
legs are still swollen, hot and tender, rhus will be found useful. Should 
the soreness of the throat not be relieved by belladonna, or should spread- 
ing sores of an unhealthy character appear on the skin, administer mer- 
curius. When marked weakness and emaciation ensue, and the pulse is. 
quick and yet hardly perceptible, the legs, sheath and breast becoming 
dropsical, the appetite lost, the animal showing a great indisposition to 
move, arsenicum will prove efficacious. Should the soreness of the throat 
persist in spite of the remedies named, apis and arsenicum in alternation 
will probably afford the desired relief. In the malignant type, when there 
is a marked tendency to a breaking down of the organic structure, and a 
bleeding of the mucous membrane, with a bloody and purulent discharge 
from the nose and swelling of the lips, arnica and arsenicum should be 
given in alternation, the doses being four hours apart. 

SMALL-POX. 

This is an eruptive disease which attacks the lips and face of the horse,, 
but mainly the heels, in the latter case being distinguished with difficulty 
from grease. It is of an epidemic nature, and any constitutional derange- 
ment may promote it during its prevalence. 

Sy??iftto?ns. — Irritative fever, growing worse as the disease advances;, 
irregular red spots, singly or in clusters, more or less elevated, on the red- 
dened parts of the skin, chiefly on the inner side of the fore legs, on the 
belly and between the thighs, becoming day by day more numerous and 
more elevated, and forming minute tumors which grow pale and discolored 



186 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

about the fifth day, with lymph on the surface which thickens and is first 
"white, then yellowish, when the top becomes fiat or depressed. In from a 
week to ten days the tumors begin to dry, but the process will be retarded 
by the presence of sores if the skin has been severely rubbed. During the 
whole time previous to the drying process, new tumors will be forming, 
but these gradually disappear as the drying sets in, leaving brown spots 
which finally pass away. A few bare spots remain at last (occasioned by 
severe rubbing), upon which the hair does not grow. If great offensive- 
riess of breath, sweat and dung be noticed afterward, sudden indications of 
inflammation of the lungs may be suspected, such as hissing and rattling 
breathing; copious, yellowish, thick matter in the nostrils; violent cough; 
discharge of thick, yellow, sticky phlegm from the mouth, and the like. 

Treatment. — -Though this may not require special treatment, it is 
advisable to give aconite every three hours at the outset if there be much 
fever. Antimonium tartaricum is beneficial for all stages, including the lung- 
•difficulties so often attendant — four drops once in three hours. Give ar- 
senicum, six drops every three hours, for prostration, purging, tendency to 
sloughing, and inclination of the system to sink to a low state. 

MUMPS. 

This disorder is occasionally found among horses, and is an inflamma- 
tion of the large salivary glands behind the margin of the lower jaw, and 
behind the ears. The large glands within the lower part of these salivary 

glands are often affected too, when strangles 
occur. They are caused by exposure to 
wet ,and cold, or result from some disease of 
the air-passages. 

Symptoms. — Fever, thirst, sore throat, 
cough, loss of appetite, difficult breathing, 
pain in swallowing, and at times flow of 
saliva. The glands swell, are hard and 
painful, and impede breathing. 

Treatment. — Mercurius is the main 
remedy, and is usually sufficient; put the 
Seat or Mumps. powder upon the tongue dry, after having 

a, Large Salivary Gland ; b, the Duct of . . . , 

the same; c, d, e,f,g, Muscles of Mastica- sponged any undue saliva from the mouth. 

Belladonna should be given alternately with 
mercurius if local inflammation is severe, or the brain is affected. If there be 
much fever, use aconite. Foment the glands with hot water three times a 
day, and apply hot bran poultices, always wiping the part dry after fomen- 







THE HORSE— GENERAL DISEASES AND INJURIES. 187 



tation or poulticing. If suffocation is threatened, ice should he vised freely 
•externally, and small pieces be put into the mouth. In extreme cases of 
suffocation it may be necessary for a surgeon to open the windpipe. 

SORE THROAT. 

By this is meant an inflammation of the back part of the mouth, 
usually coming on from a like affection of the larynx. It is of common 
■occurrence in horses which arc put upon work with unusually good food, 
and in those which are taken from outdoor life and put into warm and 
poorly-ventilated stables, this change reducing the system and so making 
the animal liable to cold when exposed in severe weather. 

Symptoms. — A cold comes on with fever, thirst and loss of appetite, 
followed by quick breathing; external swelling of the throat; dry, hard 
cough; salivary glands swollen, hot and tender; difficulty in swallowing, 
drinking-water perhaps escaping from the nostrils during attempts to swal- 
low it; the mouth afterward gives out a frothy fluid; the cough becomes 
loose and discharges come from the nose. 

Treatment. — Good general care is often all that is needed; but if it 
be a severe case, active measures should be taken, because there is a danger 
that the inflammation will extend to the bronchi and so produce bronchitis. 
Aconite given in ten-drop doses at Jirst will often effect an immediate 
•cure. The advanced stages, marked by more settled inflammation, swollen 
and tender glands, stringy saliva, discharges at the nose, and difficult and 
painful swallowing, require belladonna, ten drops every four or six hours 
being suitable. Mercurius may be given in doses of ten grains of the 
powder every three or four hours, alternated with belladonna, when both 
remedies seem to be indicated. The following has often been beneficial: 

Extract of belladonna, 4 drachms. 

Tannic acid, 1 drachm. 

Bi-sulphite of soda, 4 drachms. 

Syrup, 5 ounces. 
Mix. 

Rub on the back teeth a piece as large as a hickory-nut two or three 
times a day. In case of external swelling and tenderness, use hot fomen- 
tations on the throat three times a day, with hot-bran poultices following. 
Steam the nose as in Catarrh. Keep the stall well ventilated and give 
oil-cake or oatmeal gruel and cold water. Remember that foul air in the 
stable, as from poor ventilation, putrid and urine-soaked dung and litter, is 
a prolific source of sore throat. 



188 



THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 



INFLUENZA.— EPIZOOTIC. 



Under these names we shall treat influenza in general, so intei'preted 
as to include the epizootic scoui-ge which raged so widely and so fatally in 
this country in 1872, and has appeared in less violent forms at different 
times since then. By treating the latter we cover the field of the former. 
That this influenza is borne from one place to another by diseased animals 
can scarcely be questioned; but that it is also communicated by the atmos- 
phere admits of scarcely more doubt. During its prevalence the human 
family has been afflicted with a disorder so similar to it that many have 
thought that man can take it from the horse. 

Symptoms. — The symptoms are numerous: First, loss of appetite; 
then the horse becomes indifferent in manner; fever, with rapid weakening; 
quick, soft, weak pulse; short, dry, catarrhal cough; breathing sometimes 




A Case of Confirmed Inflvenza. 



hurried, sometimes difficult and painful; signs of pain during a fit of cough- 
ing; the nose and mouth show a yellowish-red mucous membrane; mouth 
dry and hot, with drooping lips; the eyes have drooping lids, and are sunken, 
with inner membrane of lids yellowish- red; swelling and dryness of the 
eyes and nose; swollen throat; skin dry and hot; coat staring in severe 
cases; heaving flanks; scanty, high-colored urins; costiveness; dry dung; 
sometimes cold extremities. Soon the pulse is more rapid and weak; the 
cough becomes looser but more pronounced; the membranes of the eyes, 
nose and mouth discharge an irritating fluid, afterward becoming thick, 
stringy and mattery; the eyelids swell and tears flow; the mouth fills with 
frothy, very offensive mucus; even swallowing water is sometimes pain- 
ful; loud, frequent and painful cough; increasing weakness; slimy evacua- 
tions; external swelling at the angle of the jaws and between the jaw-bones, 



THE HORSE GENERAL DISEASES AND INJURIES. 



ISO 



causing pain in swallowing. Though these symptoms may not all be ob- 
served, all cases will show more or less dullness and lack of energy, with 
stao"£:erinsr Sfait and drao'sringf lears. The nasal discharge, at first thin and 
scanty, becomes thick, yellowish or greenish, and blood-stained, perhaps 
coming away at irregular intervals in chunky masses, even in enormous 
quantities, sometimes filling up the nostril and occasionally giving off an 
offensive odor, the sense of smell in the animal being impaired or wholly 
lost. Should pneumonia or bronchitis ensue, the horse braces the fore feet, 
trembles, and breathes with increased difficulty. Some of these symptoms 
may be more prominent at some times and places than at others. At any 
rate, the animal is rendered unfit for service for a considerable time, even 
after the symptoms have subsided. Any chronic complaint will be aggra- 
vated by this disorder; temporary blindness may result; there is a liability 
to serious inflammation of the bronchial tubes and other vital parts; hence 
the urgent importance of careful attention from the beginning. 

Treatment. — Mild cases require rest, a warm, light, dry stable, 
thoroughly clean, blankets being used if necessary to keep the animal 
warm, wet feed, exercise, not faster than a walk; 
but medicine is unnecessary. In aggravated cases, 
select from the following remedies according to 
the symptoms. The jirst day or tzvo, for short, 
dry cough, quick, strong pulse, quick, short breath- 
ing, shivering, thirst, loss of. appetite, uneasiness, 
thin, transparent mucous discharge from the nostrils, 
give aconite in ten-drop doses every two hours. As 

\ the disease progresses, belladonna will be found 
valuable for drooping head; languor; dull eyes; 
short, dry cough, made -worse by fresstire on the 
ivindpipe / thick, white discharge from the nose. 

I It should give place to another remedy when the 
cough becomes loose and the nasal discharge yel- 
lowish. Ammonia carbonate is needed for inflam- 
mation of the nasal membrane, either dry or with 
a discharge, which may be bloody; stoppage of the nose; sore throat; 
languor; dry cough, especially at night; swollen throat. The remedy is 
especially good for over-worked horses. Arsenicum is an invaluable remedy 
if there be great debility ; burning, corroding nasal discharge; dry cough, 
made worse by cold air, and more pronounced after midnight / dry mouth; 
thirst, with little water taken at a time; profuse watering of the eyes; fever 
worse after midnight. It is indicated too in case of languor, restlessness, 
short breath, with panting, much weakness, and in the later stages is de- 




APPI.YING 1'UMi.S TO 

the Nose. 



190 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

manded by cold extremities, with dropsical tendency. Tonics are often 
necessary, and nux vomica will give relief if there be profuse nasal dis- 
charge; drooping head; languor; repeated dry, hard cough, worse from 
trotting, and often attended with passing of wind from the bowels; weak- 
ness; trembling; cold legs; lying down much. It is usually better to give 
this in alternation with arsenicum, at intervals of three or four hours, or 
with quinine in five-grain doses. Phosphorus is especially suited to cases,, 
after the j:>rimary symptoms, in which the nasal discharge is profuse, thick,, 
greenish, and perhaps offensive; the cough dry, hollow, hoarse and pain- 
ful, made worse by dust, cold air, strong-smelling urine, or pressure on the 
windpipe; rapid loss of flesh; luug-complications. If very stringy, thick, 
white or yellow mucus be discharged from the nose, or expelled by cough- 
ing, give kali bichromicum every one or two hours, one grain ground into 
sugar until thoroughly mixed being a suitable dose. The bowels should 
be kept free with bran-mashes, linseed or olive oil, and in case of great 
weakness stimulants and tonics should be used, among which we may men- 
tion carbonate of ammonia, Colombo, gentian and cinchona. Rest is im- 
perative. Even strong horses recover much more readily and completely 
if relieved of work, though in good weather the animal should be gently 
exercised. Keep the stable thoroughly clean and well ventilated, and pro- 
vide clothing and warm bedding in cold weather. If the legs be cold, 
thoroughly rub them three times a day and wrap them comfortably when 
the weather is cold. The burning of tar in the stable may be of benefit, 
especially if some of the above remedies are administered. The fumes of 
burning tar or leather so used as to surely enter the nostrils will excite the 
membrane to action and thus facilitate the clearing of the nose. They may 
be apjohed by the use of a steaming-bag. The rubbing of liniment on the 
throat is of doubtful value, though this may serve a purpose in the absence 
of specific medicines. The best of such liniments is hartshorn. Give hay 
sparingly in mild cases, but avoid it in bad ones. Warm bran-mashes 
with tepid drinking-water are the best in severe cases. Boiled potatoes 
and turnips and raw apples are good. Corn meal soaked in hot water, in 
small quantities every few hom-s, is strengthening, and suited to late stages. 

PINK-EYE. 

Pink-eye is epidemic in its character, much the same as the epizootic 
considered just above, though not so fatal. It is a fever and not a cold, as 
many suppose, though it is sometimes attended with influenza. 

Symptoms. — The symptoms are easily detected : The horse becomes 
dull and moody, with hanging head; the eyes become red and swollen, the 



THE HORSE GENERAL DISEASES AND INJURIES. 191 

whites taking on a pinkish hue; the entire head is more or less swollen; 
the swelling extends to the legs as the disease progresses; there is a slight 
waterv discharge from the nose; the mouth is feverish, and the irritation 
extends to the lungs in many cases. 

Treatment. — Insure rest, taking the horse completely from his work 
and giving only moderate exercise on fair days. Provide soft, clean bedding, 
and blankets in damp, cold or stormy weather, or if the animal is chilly. 
Give a regular diet of bran-mashes and good hay. This course will often, 
if not generally, be sufficient, but the internal remedies mentioned for 
Influenza may be selected and used with profit in many cases. 

WEED. 

This consists in inflammation of the glands of the legs. The lym- 
phatic glands, which carry the dead matter of the body to the excreting 
organs, become weakened or overtaxed, and hence become clogged and 
swollen, and then they impart their trouble to other glands. It is frequent 
in cart-horses, especially when they have rested a day. It is caused by 
unwise feeding, especially changing from poor to good food, by over-work 
after continued rest, by exposure to cold and wet, by standing in water, and 
I it is usually of a hereditary tendency. 

Symptoms. — The symptoms are at first the usual ones of fever. 
Occasionally the fore legs are attacked, but usually the hind ones, and of 
these most often the left. The horse raises his leg often as if in pain, and it 
will be swollen inside down to the hock or even the fetlock. The part is 
hot, extremely tender and painful. On the inner side of the leg and thigh 
is a hard enlargement of the glands, with lumps at intervals. The breathing 
is more rapid and the pulse rises to sixty or ninety. In extreme cases a fluid 
oozes from the skin and stands in drops on the hair. One attack predis- 
poses to another and these are apt to permanently enlarge the leg. 

Treatment. — Aconite should be given for feverishness, tenderness 
swelling and heat, ten drops every three hours. Give iodide of mercury in 
one-grain doses when the glands are swollen and the secretions are sour and 
offensive; also when the disorder is brought on by cold, damp, draughts of 
air, or unfavorable changes in the weather. If the disease continues and 
there is a tendency to a chronic state or to sloughing and abscesses, iodide of" 
potassa will be found useful, ten grains three times a day, well diluted with 
water, being a proper dose. A paste of iodine may be rubbed on the swollen 
glands, or the tincture of the same may be applied after the inflammation 
has somewhat subsided. Rhus both internally and externally has been 
found efficacious if weed is the result of g-ettinsf wet or cold when sweating 1 



192 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

and the glands are hard and tender. When the acute symptoms have 
abated, and the dropsical swellings, poor appetite, emaciation, prostration 
and suppression of urine continue as the principal symptoms, give arsenicum. 
Use hot fomentations for an hour, four to six times a day. Except during 
the acute stages, in which the horse should be at rest, only light work or 
■exercise should be imposed, dry bandages being applied with pressure to the 
limb after such work or exercise. Guard against the causes named above. 

STRANGLES.— DISTEMPER. 

This disorder is more common in colts and young horses, but is occa- 
sionally found in mature atid old animals. Among the more probable causes 
is teething or some disorder of the teeth, changeable weather being a favor- 
able condition to its occurrence, as is also a change from the field to the 
stable, or from idleness to activity. The disease attacks the same animal but 
once. The colt may be on pasture and require no treatment, but it is always 
best to give it care at once, since suffocation is liable to occur. 

Symptoms. — Among the first evidences of its presence one will often 
notice a general unthriftiness, loss of condition, dullness and langour, 
though these will not always be noticeable. Then a cough ensues, with ak 
■offensive yellow discharge from the nose; saliva sometimes profuse and 
stringy; swelling of the glands between the jaws and at the throat, render, 
ing chewing and swallowing painful; this swelling gradually increases, and 
sometimes pus forms under the throat, finally bursting and discharging; 
when drinking, water may Mow out of the nostrils; the horse becomes 
feverish and loses his appetite; great thirst, with inability to drink because 
of pain in swallowing; spasmodic coughing attends an attempt to drink. The 
swelling at the jaws may be hard and keep up the disease for a long time. 
Or it may disappear and be followed by formations of pus in the shoulders, 
groin, lungs, intestines, brain, or other part, producing serious or fatal effects. 

Treatment. — Give ten drops of aconite every four hours when there 
is an appearance of common cold, the horse being feverish, restless, dull and 
uncomfortable, with a dull, staring coat, dry, hot mouth, occasional cough, 
swollen glands about the jaw, quickened j^ulse, and loss of appetite. Six 
drops of belladonna may be given in water or on sugar once in three hours 
when the back part of the mouth is dry, red, and inflamed. If there be 
•constipation, give nux vomica every third hour until the appetite is restored. 

Great relief may be afforded by putting into a pail equal parts of 
vinegar and water, placing a hot brick in the dilution, and holding the pail 
in such a way that the steam will be inhaled. It will often prove so grate- 
ful that the horse will put his nostrils within reach of the steam of his own 



THE HORSE GENERAL DISEASES AND INJURIES. 103 

accord. The steaming-bag is also useful (see cut 186). It may be best to 
aid the formation of matter between the jaws if the swelling has advanced 
considerably. To do this, bind on a poultice. When the swelling has fully 
pointed or " gathered," open it and let the matter escape. It is of the utmost 
importance that the strength be sustained by tonics and an abundant supply 
of soft, nourishing food and pure air. If hot mashes are fed from a close 
nose-basket hung on the head, the steam will afford much relief, while the 
food does as much good as if otherwise taken. Other disorders are liable to 
set in along with strangles, and they should be treated as directed. 

RHEUMATISM. 

This is an inflammation which shifts from one part to another, with 
sudden, painful attacks, and usually affects the limbs, chest, and loins. 
When the sides and heart become affected, recovery is more doubtful. It 
usually results from neglect, the animal being exposed to cold and wet, or 
standing in water when warm. Bad food or whatever lowers the vitality 
will produce it. It becomes chronic after repeated attacks, and then the 
swelling of the parts becomes permanent. 

Symptoms. — Shivering at first; then the mouth and skin are hot, 
followed by marked stiffness and pain. If the shoulder be affected, the 
horse rests the toe frequently on the ground; if the loins, the back is raised 
and the belly drawn up. Swelling and heat of the joints and tendons of 
the limbs ensue, especially about the fetlock; usually fever; furred tongue; 
pulse seventy to eighty, but variable; sour saliva; active bowels; heaving 
in the flanks; short, rapid breathing; free, acid sweats; warm skin and legs. 
In a disease of the foot, with which rheumatism of the shoulders is often 
confused, there is a difficulty in putting the foot to the ground, while in 
the latter there is difficulty in lifting the foot. When the trouble shifts 
rapidly from part to part, it is called " flying lameness." 

Treatment. — Aconite is needed for shivering; fever; local inflamma- 
tion, tenderness and swelling; hot mouth and skin; sweats on parts of the 
body; full, rapid pulse; high-colored urine; impaired appetite. This 
remedy is especially efficacious if there is danger that the rheumatism will 
shift to the heart, in which case ten drops should be given every hour for 
several doses. The following conditions call for bryonia: acute attacks 
especially in the legs, shoulders and side; reluctance to move; pain aggra- 
1 vated by motion; full, frequent pulse; short respiration; loss of appetite; 
thirst; costiveness, with dry passage; high-colored urine. It is particularly 
useful for attacks induced by changes in the weather, by wind or dry, cold 
air, and it is one of the best general remedies for rheumatism. It may 



194 



THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 



often be beneficially alternated with aconite. Rhus should be given if 
there be stiffness and pain on first moving after rest, but relieved by 
motion. It i.s especially valuable for rheumatism of the back; loss of 
muscular power of the legs; chronic rheumatism; cases that are induced 
by over-exertion and exposure to wet when tired; and this is also valuable 
when the tendons are chiefly involved. Cimicifuga is needed for swollen, 
heated joints; pain from motion; "flying lameness;" heart-complication; 
rheumatism which attacks the sides. Gelseminum is valuable for loss of 
muscular power/ acute pain after long exertion ; coldness and weakness of 




Sling and Dressing for Rheumatism. 



the legs; excessive action of the heart; cases that are worse at night. 
Phytolacca is efficacious in chronic rheumatism, with enlargement of the 
glands. Colchicum, muriate of ammonia and nitrate of potassa will be 
helpful in many cases. 

In the way of general care, protect the animal from cold and inclement 
weather; keep the stable warm and dry, putting on warm, dry clothing in 
damp, stormy, cold, or windy weather. Put hot fomentations and lini- 
ments on the affected parts, especially on swollen joints. Among the 
liniments we may mention, as being useful in general, soap-liniment and 
lotions of rhus and belladonna. Cornmeal and bran will make good 
poultices for enlarged glands and inflammations. Perhaps the best local 
application for the affected parts is flowers of sulphur, rubbed on and then 
covered with a thick layer of cotton-batting. Indeed, dry cotton-batting 
alone is one of the most grateful and useful of all applications and great 
relief will be afforded by keeping the affected members wrapped in it. 



THE HORSE GENERAL DISEASES AND INJURIES. 195 

Keep the horse quiet, but allow him to move when so inclined. In severe 
or long-standing cases, when the animal is unable to stand or lie down 
without much pain, it will be best to devise a sling and pulley to relieve 
the limbs of their burden. Give bran-mashes, carrots, clover, and milk- 
gruels. Care for the general health is the best of known expedients, es- 
pecially in chronic rheumatism, and is the best preventive. 

CRAMP. 

Sympto?ns. — In this disorder, which is a pain and knotting of the 
muscles after severe or long-continued exertion, the horse is sore and stiff; 
shows tenderness on pressure of the muscles, with difficulty and pain in 
moving the legs; hesitates to lie down, then drops suddenly, with a similar 
difficulty in rising; evinces but little change in appetite, pulse or respiration. 

Treatment. — Arnica should be given immediately after any length- 
ened or severe exertion which demands great muscular efforts, a dose 
every four hours; it will act both as a preventive and as a cure. Rhus is 
preferable after the specific symptoms have appeared and the horse is stiff 
and sore. Brisk rubbing followed by the application of bandages on the 
limbs is often all that is necessary to give the required relief. 

GLANDERS AND FARCY. 

Farcy consists in sores incident to glanders, and is not a separate dis- 
ease. The two constitute one of the most loathsome and fatal diseases of 
the horse, which is very highly contagious, being imparted to some other do- 
mestic animals and to man. It is some form of blood-poison, and may be 
taken from contact of the virus with some broken or irritated part of the 
skin, or by absorption from the air, and the poison is lasting, the virus retain- 
ing its potency after lying in a stall for months. Occasionally a sound 
horse is found which will not take the disease. The virus is more danger- 
ous when in food than in water. One horse often gets the disease by be- 
ing with an affected one, or in his stall, or contracts it from a man who has 
been handling a horse so diseased. If the animal has been in any way re- 
duced in his system, he is made more liable to the disease, and catarrh, 
strangles, and other disorders may terminate in glanders. 

Symptoms of Glanders. — The Jirst symptoms of glanders are these: 
Quick pulse and breathing; feverish excitement; a thin, inodorous, trans- 
parent discharge, generally from one nostril, usually the left, the right be- 
ing less affected ; light leaden or purplish hue in the mucous membrane of the 
nose. This set of symptoms may last weeks or even months, with the 




190 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

horse in apparently good health and at his usual work. In the second 
stage, the remaining nostril becomes much affected, the discharge is greater 
and is mucous and sticky, adhering to the edge of the nostrils; the lym- 
phatic glands beneath the jaw are enlarged, first on the side first affected, 
then on both sides, are tender and hard,, and stick close to the jaw. In the 
third stage, the discharge from the nostrils increases, 
is hard, yellow, perhaps blood-streaked, of offensive 
odor and mingled with pus; blood sometimes comes 
from the nostril; the mucous membrane of the nose 
has ulcers with ragged edges and low centers, which 
are marked by swollen veins running from them in 
all directions; the sores spread back to the throat: 
the lower eyelid becomes diseased, slightly swollen,. 
a small discharge of matter coming from the corner 
of the eye; after a time, loss of appetite, strength,, 
Proof of Glanders. flegh and sp j r j ts ; the swollen glands under the jaw 

i, Normal Nasal Mem- * 7 ° ■> 

brane. 2, Membrane with become more tender and adhere closely to the bone;, 

Ulcers. J 

skin "hide-bound;" legs, sheath and testicles swell 
during the day, becoming reduced at night; lameness; the hair turns the 
wrong way; ulcers in various parts of the body. These stages will be 
quite well marked in most cases. 

Strangles, pneumonia, distemper, and other disorders are also marked 
by the sticky discharge, nasal ulcers and swelling of the glands beneath 
the jaw, but usually show these symptoms about the same time, thus differ- 
ing from glanders. In the last also these are slow and eventually fatal,, 
while in the other cases they are acute, rapid, and then subside. In catarrh 
the discharge from the nose, which in glanders is more marked in one nos- 
tril, is free in both nostrils, with prominent fever-symptoms. In lung- 
troubles some of the symptoms of glanders appear, but in the latter there 
is rarely any cough, while in the former a cough is nearly or quite always 
present. 

Symptoms of Farcy. — On the inside of one of the legs or thighs, on 
the thin skin of the neck or lips, or on the glands, may be a sore which will 
afterward grow into a hot, painful " farcy bud," at first hard, then soft 
and containing pus. This sore will burst and present a depressed center, a 
hard, ragged edge, with discharges of pus; the connecting lymphatics be- 
come inflamed, hard and corded, with tumors of varying size along them. 
Though at first confined to one leg, the tumors spread to other parts, reach- 
ing the head and throat. Then the skin becomes dropsical, as also the leg, 
especially near the breast. After a time the joints give forth a sound as if 
the bones were slipping in the sockets. One is apt to confuse farcy with 



THE HORSE GENERAL DISEASES AND INJURIES. 



197 



■grease, surfeit and weed. The subjoined tables of symptoms will enable 
one to distinguish it from the first of the three. 



i. Skin moderately inflamed, not very 
red, nor glossy, nor subject (o discharge. 

2. Swelling somewhat sudden, but not 
great, largest above the hock. 

3. Along the course of the inflamed 
lymphatics ulcers are formed, having an ir- 
regular circular shape and hard edges. 



1. Skin hot, very red, glossy, with clear 
and very acrid discharge. 

2. Swelling very great, especially at the 
lowest part, spreading in all directions, but 
chiefly downward. 

3. On the heels clusters of small vesicles 
arise, which become pustular and exude 
an acrid discharge, which causes the skin 
to crack in deep fissures. 



In surfeit the sores come out suddenly on different parts, while in 
farcy thev appear one by one. In weed the large vein on the inside of 
the thigh is afFected, whereas in farcy the lymphatics on either side of this 
vein are swollen, hard and corded. In general, the " farcy buds" are the 
decisive marks of farcy, whether on the legs or body; and when they affect 
the nose, they constitute true glanders. 

Treatment. — " The acute disease is fatal. The chronic form occa- 
sionally appears to recover, though more commonly the symptoms are cov- 
ered up to reappear whenever the animal is put to hard work. The treat- 
ment of glanders in all its forms, and of acute farcy with open sores, should 
oe legally prohibited because of the danger to man as well as animals." 
■(Law.) The writer's first and urgent advice is to shoot the affected horse 
.as soon as he is known to have the glanders or farcy. Where legal restric- 
tions against treatment of the disease exist, the course of the attendant is 
clear. If the horse is so valuable that the owner, in the absence of such 
restrictions, prefers to attempt the treatment at the risk of communicating 
such a dreadful disease to members of his household, to his neighbors, and 
to domestic animals, he will be assisted by the following notes. 

Carbolic acid is useful for both its internal and local effects. Mix ten 
drops of the strong acid in a pint of pure water and administer this internally 
in four doses six hours apart. Put twenty drops of the same strong acid in 
two pints of pure water, and frequently wipe out the nostrils with this di- 
lution, using a syringe if the afFected parts are otherwise beyond reach. 
Cleanse the ulcers and "buds" with the same, and bathe with it the dis- 
ordered lymphatics, keeping cloths on the farcied parts moistened with this 
■dilution, if this be practicable. When moistening the sponge and cloths 
with which the nostrils or other parts are to be treated, f.our the liquid on 
£hem, so that what is in the vessel will be pure. Kali bichromicum may 



198 the veterinary doctor. 

have a good effect when the discharge from the nostril is grayish and 
stickj^, or like the white of egg; the nasal membrane of a slate-color, with 
elevations which contain pus; the gland under the jaw adhering to the 
jaw, or enlarged. Dissolve one grain of the drug in twelve ounces of water 
and give a wineglassful of this three times a day. If the farcy buds be 
washed night and morning with a lotion of one drachm of the salt of the 
same drug in sixteen ounces of water, good results may be expected. Doses 
of five grains of arseniate of strychnia are highly recommended. Iodide 
of arsenic will have a good effect if given three times a day as soon as the 
"buds" have become full of pus, or when ulcers appear, or when there- 
are no inflammatory symptoms. If this remedy and kali bichromicum ap- 
pear to be indicated at the same time, they should be given in alternation,, 
and such alternation will be especially valuable when farcy and true 
glanders exist at the same time, the horse becoming poor and weak. Bi- 
sulphite of soda in two-drachm doses is a good general remedy for glanders- 
When the farcy buds become soft, they should be 
opened with a sharp knife and a lotion be injected into, 
them composed of five grains of chloride of zinc and one 
ounce of water. If the wound is not inclined to heal in 
a day or two, repeat this injection in two or three days- 
Ulcers may also be washed once or twice with this lotion^ 
and be subsequently cleansed with strong salt-water four 
to six times a day if a cure is not effected. After wash- 
ing the sores with salt-water, apply equal parts of flour 
and pounded charcoal three times a day, if the former 
treatment has not succeeded. A thick layer of calomel 
is also efficacious when the sores are slow about healing. 
Keep the horse clean and give moderate exercise or 
Farcy on the in- light work. The best of hay and a moderate allowance 

SIDE OF THE THIGH. & J 

of oats, with carrots and other green food, will be a 
suitable diet. Keep the stable clean, airy but not cold, change the bedding 
often, and use carbolic acid freely in washing the floor. Pure air, rich food,, 
and an absence of exhausting labor are essentials in the treatment and pre- 
vention. 

To prevent the spread of this dreadful disease, which is usually fatal 
however well treated, the best plan is to shoot the horse and bury him deep 
in the ground — it is still better to burn him — and no other course is free 
from danger to man or beast. Remember that a heavy penalty is incurred 
in some States by exposing glandered horses in a public place. All sus- 
pected animals should be carefully secluded until they are safe from infec- 
tion, or have been cured or destroyed. All rags, sponges, brushes, pails. 




THE HORSE GENERAL DISEASES AND INJURIES. 199 

and like articles which have been used in treating a glandered horse should 
be burned, as that is absolutely safe, though a thorough washing with car- 
bolic acid may counteract the virus. The stable, manure, and whatever 
the infected animal has touched, should be thoroughly treated with carbolic 
acid, the bedding being burned. Let the attendants be as few as can do the 
necessary work. Never handle a glandered or farcied horse if the skin 
of the hatids Is sore or broken, for man may readily take the disease and 
suffer distressingly if not fatally. Always wash the hands in dilute car- 
bolic acid after treating an infected animal, and before going near other 
people or beasts. If the clothes have the virus on them, or if doubt exists as 
to this, the}' should be washed in the same way. Keep well animals of all 
kinds completely away from an infected one. Every one who is to go near 
the suffering horse should be fully advised upon the virulent nature of the 
disease, and take the necessary precaution against contracting it. 

DROPSY. 

The cause of dropsy is some obstruction of the circulation, or a dis- 
eased state of the blood, with general reduction of the svstem. It is called 
general dropsy when it causes a collection of watery fluid under the tissues 
of the skin generally, hydrothorax when it affects the lungs merely, and 
ascites when the belly or intestines are involved. General dropsy is caused 
by exposure to wet and cold, as when a horse is turned out of a warm 
stable to a marsh, or to pasture in cold weather; the coating processes of 
spring and autumn are causes, as well as derangement of the heart. Hy- 
drothorax is occasioned by general weakness, bv fever-epidemics, as influ- 
enza; and also results from the unwise operation of bleeding. Ascites has 
the same causes as general dropsy, and is also a result of diseases of the 
belly, chest and membranes about the small intestines, indigestion, obstruc- 
tion of the veins, and general debility; it frequently results from peritonitis. 

Symptoms. — The universal svmptom of dropsv is swelling of the skin, 
which retains for some time indentations of the fingers, and is attended 
with great weakness, with absence of inflammation and pain; fever-symp- 
toms, at first slight, become marked. If hydrothorax results from pleurisy 
when acute symptoms subside the motion of the water in the chest mav be 
clearly detected by striking with the hand; the animal loses appetite, 
grows languid, depressed, weak, and has an anxious look; the back is rigid, 
flanks drawn in, hair rough and easily pulled from the tail and mane; pulse 
rapid, feeble, and finally imperceptible at the jaw; nostrils spread; eyes, 
mouth and nose of a leaden color; breathing short and very labored; fore 
legs stand apart; urine scanty, bowels bound; swellings over the limbs,. 



200 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

bellv and sheath. In ascites the belly gradually swells so that alternate 
and rapid pressure by the hand on the sides will produce fluctuations of 
water and a dull sound; breathing becomes difficult as the water increases; 
usually external swellings of the belly and sheath follow; coat dry and 
loose; urine thick and sedimentous; skin hide-hound; griping pains; the 
usual costiveness is followed by dian-hoea, with offensive dung. 

Treatment. — Give aconite for inflammatory general dropsy, when 
the swelling comes on suddenly and rapidly spreads, with hastened breath- 
ing and pulse, thirst, reddening of the eyes and nostrils; and also if this 
condition results from a sudden check of the secretions of the skin from 
exposure to wet or cold. Arsenicum is of the highest value in all forms of 
dropsv that are marked, in addition to the swelling, by weakness, emacia- 
tion, loss of spirits, great thirst, loss of appetite, dry tongue, difficult 
breathing, small, weak and irregular pulse, cold legs, scanty and turbid 
urine, and diarrhoea. Digitalis may be given when the heart is implicated 
and the pulse is small, feeble, intermittent and irregular, breathing difficult, 
and urine scanty. It is useful in almost every kind of dropsy, even in des- 
perate cases, and may often be beneficially alternated with arsenicum. Apis 
is highly useful, especially when fever-difficulties are present, such as 
hurried breathing, small and quick pulse; for passages of urine which forms 
a reddish sediment and for rapid swellings. It is particularly valuable 
for ascites in the first stages, and is also useful for hydrothorax. In the 
general care measures should be taken to avoid cold, dampness, and vigorous 
exercise, though a little walking for an hour may be given, if no fever- 
symptoms exist. Let the horse t:ike exercise in a loose box during inflam- 
matory drops)', and give mashes of gieen food; but barley, boiled oats and 
the best of ha)' are needed if there be much weakness. Tapping should 
not be resorted to until a fair trial of medicines has been given. This 
operation is performed in ascites by cutting the navel with a lancet, the 
fluid being drawn with the trocar and canula, the skin drawn over the 
cut, and pressure applied with bandages. In other forms the swellings may 
be pricked in the parts hanging down the most, the discharges being sub- 
sequently promoted by fomentations and pressure applied to the parts. 

SPLENIC FEVER.— ANTHRAX. 

This fever is acute and contagious, is marked by a great enlarge- 
ment of the spleen, and is rapid in its progress. It is caused by the con- 
tact of an infected animal with one Jhat is healthy. It is more common 
among cattle than among horses. For fuller notes upon its different forms 
see this disease in the Ox. 



THE HORSE GENERAL DISEASES AND INJURIES. 201 

Symj)to?ns. — Loss of appetite; thirst; cold and shivering; coldness of 
the surface, followed by heat; convulsive movements and peculiar spasms 
about the extremities; pulse and respiration quickened; temperature from 
105 to no ; bloody dung; whitish discharge from the nose; high-col- 
ored, odorous urine. Though the symptoms are usually regular, they may 
be intermittent, the horse being seemingly almost well during their inter- 
missions. Recovery or death comes on rapidly. In fatal cases the breath- 
ing is exceedingly difficult, the convulsions in the back, loins and muscles 
of the eyes are violent; the temperature falls; loss of power ensues, and 
death is precipitated by a suspension of circulation. Carbuncles attend 
this fever, and are at first hot, tender, and easily indented, but soon become 
hard, painless and cool, terminating in ulcers. Yellow serum or blood 
may exude from some parts of the skin; the mucous membranes become 
puffy, stopped up, or streaked, with a bloody and offensive discharge finally 
coming from the nose. Sight, locomotion, eating, drinking and urination 
become impaired or impeded. Death may ensue in a few hours, or the 
animal may linger weeks, or even months. During the progress of the 
■disease the animal hangs on the halter, leans against any object within 
reach, lies down, but soon rises again, turns the head toward the flank, and 
•shows signs of pain in the belly. 

Treatment. — If symptoms of fever are chiefly noticeable, give ten 
drops of aconite every half-hour. For the general fever give one part of 
strong liquor ammonium causticum to ten of water every half-hour. For 
apoplectic symptoms belladonna and aconite may be used, fifteen or twenty 
minutes apart. For local swellings and carbuncles give arsenicum or 
phytolacca. If the dung becomes bloody, with straining during the dis- 
charges, and if the urine be bloody, give mercurius corrosivus. In the way 
of general care give a change of air, a comfortable stable and nutritious 
food. Remove an animal dying from this trouble, and cleanse the stall 
.and all its furniture before admitting another horse. Carbolic acid has 
proved serviceable as a preventive. Further directions as to general care 
■may be found under the treatment of this disease in the Ox. 

PURPURA HEMORRHAGICA.— ACUTE ANASARCA. 

This depends upon some unknown change in the blood or its vessels, 
perhaps both, by which the blood oozes into the skin and its tissues, and 
into the internal cavities and organs. It is supposed to be caused by ill- 
ventilated stables, over- work, bad or scanty food, damp stables; indeed, 
whatever checks proper blood-making; it often follows some catarrhal 
trouble. 




202 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

Symptoms. — The symptoms are full pulse, about sixty; breathing 1 
about twenty ; irregular swellings of various size, consisting of blood, un- 
der or in the skin, especially in the legs, becoming enormous at the hocks,, 
ending short at the elbow-joints and stifle; the nostrils and lips are swollen, 
hard and shiny; the chambers of the nose so far closed 
as to cause difficulty in breathing; nasal membrane 
very red and marked with purple spots of varying 
size, similar spots being on the inside of the lips, which,, 
when pricked, give out blood. Soon the pulse be- 
comes weaker and the urine high-colored; dwellings 
enlarge and extend to the belly, flanks and other parts;, 
eyes blood-shot; the nasal membrane blackens; the spots, 
become ulcerous, with shreds of tissue hanging out;, 
by PurpuraH™Z D 'i dark bloody fluid, perhaps mixed with water, flows, 
from the nose; the swellings on some parts become 
cold, very hard and insensible, break off, and leave raw sores; a fluid stands 
on the hair, principally under the belly; blood passes with the urine, or in 
clots; the horse is weak, is unable to move the swollen legs, and eats little,, 
perhaps nothing. 

It should be observed that in Weed the femoral vein is enlarged and. 
tender, but not in purpura hemorrhagica, and that in the former the 
swelling on the inside of the thigh is hard and not elastic. Again, in Glan- 
ders and Farcy there are swollen lips and nose, with a brown, pussy dis- 
charge from the nostrils, and ulceration of the dividing wall of the nose* 
but they are not attended by the sudden swelling of both thighs, without 
cording, and of the muscles of the chest; nor by the purple blotches inside 
the lips and gums; nor by the dark purple shade of the nasal membrane: 
after the small red spots. These distinctive features should be carefully noted,, 
for purpura hemorrhagica is for some strange reason not unfrequently 
mistaken for farcy and glanders. 

Treatment. — Kali bichromicum has proved to be a most valuable 
remedy, especially when sloughing of the mucous membrane of the nose- 
or parts of the skin takes place, and when pimples appear on the skin. 
It may be given every three hours at first, the intervals being lengthened 
as the animal improves. Among the best remedies for this disorder we 
may mention ergot and arsenic, the latter being suitably given in the form 
of Fowler's Solution. As soon as the inflammatory svmptoms subside, or 
even in the start, when the malignant symptoms are very marked, these 
two should be given, the former in doses of ten to fifteen drops alternated 
with five-drop doses of the latter every two hours. Wash the sores with 
a solution of carbolic acid or chloride of zinc, so far diluted as to avoid irri- 



THE HORSE — GENERAL DISEASES AND INJURIES. 203' 

tation. Provide a dry stable, with good ventilation. Give nourishing food- 
Require but little work, but insure a reasonable amount of light exercise.. 

ABSCESSES. 

Abscesses are collections of pus in some parts or organs of the body.. 
They may result from some of the diseases or injuries elsewhere mentioned 
in this work, as fever, for instance, or they may be caused by a disorder in 
the blood without any apparent previous disease. Some part is inflamed 
and pus forms, which will either float about in the tissues or be collected in 
one place, the enveloping sac becoming full and yielding to the touch, and 
generally rising to a point or " head," finally bursting and letting out its 
contents. They may and generally do form under the skin, but may oc- 
cur within the animal, as in the lungs. When they are deep in the flesh 
the pus cannot readily come out, and a narrow canal is formed 
which leads to the surface. 

Treatment. — -If the abscess be in the inner organs, an improvement, 
of the horse's general condition is all that one can do, and regard should 
be had to the feeding, grooming, ventilation and the like. If the abscess 
can be reached, cut it open at the most prominent point xvhen it pulsates, is 
soft and nearly ready to burst. In such cases it would soon burst spon- 
taneously, but cutting averts the rough, irregular and large opening which 
the natural process causes. Should it not come to a point, but spread, open 
at once. If the disorder is owing to the presence of irritating fluids, open 
immediately and let the fluids escape. If the formation of pus be unduly 
slow, apply a poultice or mild blister, but not until the abscess shows signs- 
of coming to a head. If the sore be deep in the flesh, and a canal has- 
been formed leading to the surface, it will often be necessary to cut the 
walls of the canal completely open to the bottom, thus making an incised 
wound, and treating as directed under Incised Wounds. It is seldom, if 
ever, advisable to check or disperse matter when once forming. When an 
opening has been cut, gently squeeze out the matter and inject warm watei- 
into the sore with a syringe twice daily for two or three days, and keep the 
edges of the sore clean. If bloody matter is discharged, add some diluted 
ammonia to the warm water. 

For high fever, local inflammation, swelling or tumor threatening an 
abscess, give ten drops of aconite every two or three hours. If suppuration 
is slow, give hepar every three hours. For an abscess which discharges a 
thin, discolored, offensive matter or pus of a bad odor, give five grains of" 
asafoetida three times daily, and apply a wash of either one grain of 
chloride of zinc to an ounce of water, or ten drops of carbolic acid to an 



•904 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

■ounce of water. Baryta carbonica is valuable for hard tumors in the head, 
enlarged glands which threaten to form pus, or tubercles in the jaw; it aids 
in softening hard abscesses, and also removes scrofulous tumors without 
suppuration. Abscesses are very debilitating and need good treatment. 

ULCERS. 

Ulcers often follow bruises and other extended injuries, and take place 
especially when the system is unhealthy, but may result from inflamma- 
tion. They are a separation of dead tissue from surrounding parts, and 
are attended with a secretion of pus. If the ulcers appear on a mucous 
membrane, there will at first be seen a red point or two, with a few small 
vesicles on the surface of the part affected, a watery fluid exuding from 
beneath, and sometimes a thick, gray, slimy lymph. The ulcer grows 
larger as parts of the tissue come away, its edges becoming ragged and 
swollen. It may be deep, extending in different directions; round and 
shallow, with ragged edges, and spreading out; or sloughing, parts of the 
tissue flaking off. 

Treatment. — r Have regard to the general health by insuring nourish- 
ing food, fresh air, good grooming and rest. Nearly always avoid the use 
of ointments. Plain cold water is the best external treatment. If the 
formation of pus is too long delayed, press around the sore lightly, and 
should this not avail, use a mild blister somewhat frequently. Should the 
granulations be excessive in the healing, apply lunar caustic or powdered 
burnt alum. If the injury results from chafing of the saddle or harness, 
follow the treatment given under Galls. For fever, give ten drops of 
aconite every three hours for a day or two. Mercurius is needed for 
spreading ulcers, corroding discharge, and rawness. Arsenicum is demanded 
for ulcers which result from a debilitated constitution, hard work, and 
poor fare; for deep, readily bleeding, inflamed, putrid, gangrenous, corrod- 
ing, moitifying and spreading ulcers; for those with thin pus of bad odor. 
Give five to ten drops three times daily. Asafcetida is desirable for bluish 
ulcers, turning black, with hard edges, and painful to the touch, the dose 
being three to five grains three times a day. Ten drops of sulphuric acid 
every four hours will be beneficial for ulcers with dark spots and discolored 
skin when the cause is some mechanical injury, bruise or pressure. 

FISTULA FISTULOUS WITHERS. 

In this disease matter forms from an inflammation caused by a badly- 
fitting collar or saddle, usually a side-saddle, or other injury. The matter 



THE HORSE GENERAL DISEASES AND INJURIES. 205 

is confined in the muscles and ligaments, forms canals, and passes down to 
the muscles connecting the shoulders with the trunk. Sometimes, however, 
the abscess takes the form of a sac with scrum in it, when the case is 
easily cured. In the worst form, the muscles connected with the neck, 
back and legs being involved, the inflammation rapidly extends, the liga- 
ments, muscles and cartilages are affected, the shoulder is lowered, and 
much damage occurs. 

Symptoms. — Swelling and tenderness on the withers or at the side of 
die upper end of the spine, soon attended with softness. If the skin be 
much bruised, a piece comes off", leaving an unhealthy sore, through which 




Advanced Stage of Fistulous Withers. 

a discharge runs out from a sac that may be detected with a probe j or 
fistulous ducts may run in various directions. In some cases there is a hard 
tumor on the withers which stubbornly remains, but will not suppurate. 

Treatment. — First alter the saddle, or keep the horse from work 
a few days. If the swelling be recent and soft, apply a lotion of arnica 
and glycerine with lint and oil-silk until trie inflammation subsides. If the 
tumor bursts or is cut open, bathe it with a lotion of one part of arnica to 
two of water. If a serous sac or fistulous canal exists in the swelling, it must 
be opened for the escape of the matter. Generally it is best to make the 
opening low down on the right side, since the horse usually lies on that side 
and the matter will more completely be discharged in this way. After the 
opening has been made, dress with a lotion of calendula, one part to 
four of watery four times daily and inject some of the same into the canals, 
if such exist. If the walls of the canals thicken, become hard and indis- 
posed to heal, zinc, copper, or mercurius corrosivus, in weak solution, 
should be injected until renewed action is set up; then the calendula-lotion 
will complete the cure. If the bone is involved and decays, it should be 
removed by a surgeon. Of course only a skillful surgeon can make the 
opening in the canals if they be deep down in the fleshy tissues. 



"206 the; veterinary doctor. 

FISTULOUS NOSE. 

Wounds sometimes produce ulcers in the back part of the nose, perhaps 
inducing ulceration of the bones which discharges a thin, unhealthy, pus- 
like fluid, such ulcers being of a fistulous character. 

Treatment. — Apply to the fistula a solution of carbolic acid, ten drops 
to an ounce of glycerine. Wash well with soap and water. The following 
formula will be useful if the fistula does not heal but remains unhealthy: 

Hydrastia, 20 grains. 

Iodoform, 10 grains. 

Sugar, ^ ounce. 

Pulverize together in a mortar until they are thoroughly mixed; then 
apply to the fistula once a day, blowing it from a quill. 

POLL EVIL. 

Poll evil results from some blow on the top of the head, or from a 
•coarse, heavy head-collar chafing the part. 

Symptoms. — Hanging head, the horse being unwilling to be handled 
about the ears; painful swelling just back of the ears on the top of the head, 
at first hard, then growing soft, of the nature of an abscess, gradually 
coining to a head, bursting, and discharging matter, which is sometimes 

healthy, in other cases, when the liga- 
ments and bones are involved, unhealthy 
and offensive. The probe will detect 
a single cavity, without canals, or canals 
passing in different directions, perhaps 
extending to the bone. 

Treatment. — This disease is very 
difficult of treatment except in the 
earliest stages, when it may be checked 
by removing the cause and applying 

Poll Evil in an Early Stage. . , 1 , rr\\ c j.* r 

arnica to the part. 1 he formation of 
matter should be prevented if possible. When this can not be done, cut 
open the hard, painful swelling (if you are a skillful operator}, and apply 
lint saturated in equal parts of glycerine, calendula and water, oil-silk being 
put on then, and a linen hood with openings for the ear being fastened on 
with tapes around the jaw and neck. Moisten the linen three times daily 
with the lotion. Should the tumor become soft and mobile, a surgeon 
should at once open it, in such a way, if possible, as to allow the matter to 




THE HORSE GENERAL DISEASES AND INJURIES. 207 

run out. If matter still remains, it may be removed with a sponge. When 
canals exist where the surgeon deems it unsafe to make an opening, and a 
thin, bloody discharge comes off, indicating diseased bones and tendons, a 
weak solution of corrosive sublimate or of chloride or sulphate of zinc should 
be injected daily. When the matter becomes thick and white, calendula- 
lotion may be injected instead of the corrosive sublimate or zinc. When 
there is a low state of the system, tonics should be given, as iron and cin- 
chona. When such a state is accompanied by a thin, foul, bad-smelling and 
coiroding discharge, give arsenicum. Aconite is needed for primary in- 
flammation, ten drops of dilute tincture being put in a pint of water and 
given two or three times daily until the inflammation subsides. 

WOUNDS. 

The whole subject of wounds may be treated under this general head. 
We divide the matter into four groups, namely, contused wounds, incised 
■wounds, punctured wounds, and lacerated wounds. 

CONTUSED WOUNDS. 

By this term we mean those in which the skin is bruised, but not cut 
through or broken. They are caused by some mechanical violence, such as 
a. halter accidentally caught around the leg, a fall, a kick, or a blow. The 
symptoms are redness, heat, swelling and pain of the affected part. 

Treatment. — In mild cases wet two or three folds of linen in a lotion 
made of one ounce of calendula, two ounces of glycerine and a half-pint of 
water, and place them on the parts with a wet bandage, repeating this everv 
two hours. If the skin and under-lying parts are much affected, foment the 
part with warm water constantly during the day, and apply a bran-poultice 
at night. When the sore grows soft, let the matter out with a lance, or 
sharp knife, the fomentation only being then continued. If lymph forms 
instead of pus, and the swelling still remains, rub the part with the calen- 
dula-lotion twice a day. Should this fail, rub in daily a small quantity 
of a preparation composed of four ounces of soap-liniment and one-half 
ounce of camphor. Apply carbolic-acid lotion if flies lay eggs in the 
wound. 

One of the best applications for open wounds, mentioned here but 
applicable as well to clean cuts and lacerated wounds, is a decoction of but- 



208 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

ternut bark. Fill a kettle with this bark, chopped fine, cover with water, 
and let it simmer slowly, adding water as it evaporates, until a strong tea 
is made. Apply with a swab. This will both keep the wound clean and 
prevent the flies from infesting it, two very important points. 

INCISED WOUNDS, OR CLEAN CUTS. 

Incised wounds are those in which a clean cut is made, without lacera- 
tion, by some sharp-edged instrument. 

Treatment. — In many cases the lips of the wound close and heal 
without treatment. In other cases calendula-lotion will be found an excel- 
lent external application. If the wound fails to yield to this treatment,, 
the surgeon must join the lips by some process, and it is advised to call 
him at first in case of severe cuts. If the loss of blood be considerable,, 
give tonics to restore the strength, such as cinchona. 

Bleeding is generally of little consequence unless a large artery be 
cut, which is indicated by spurts of bright-scarlet blood; then the mouth 
of the artery should be seized at once with forceps, and a ligature be put 
around it. If this be impracticable, put tow in the wound and hold it with 
a bandage. Pieces of lint soaked in a lotion of millefolium, one part of 
the strong tincture to nine of water, may be put in the wound, to the bot- 
tom, and be left until the healing of the wound pushes them out; this will 
be better than the tow. Cold water dashed on the part will often stop 
bleeding; as also will strong alcohol. If bleeding will not stop after the 
lips of the wound have been held together, and the attendant has no ready 
means for tying the artery, he should apply pressure firmly on the blood- 
vessel above the wound (toward the heart) by passing a bandage around 
the affected member, with a stone or walnut resting on the artery, then 
putting a stick underneath and twisting the bandage until the flow stops. 
Severe bleeding from a vein (indicated by a constant, not spurting stream) 
may.be checked by like pressure applied below the wound. If flies lay eggs, 
in the wound, wash with a lotion of carbolic acid. Read the note under 
Contused Wounds upon, the use of the decoction of butternut bark. 

PUNCTURED WOUNDS OR PRICKS. 

Punctured wounds have small openings, but are usually deeper and 
more serious than others. They are made with pitchforks, nails, thorns,, 
splinters, crockery, and the like. 

Treatment. — Remove thorns, splinters, or other foreign body from 
the wound. If the injury is not near a joint, or has not penetrated a ten- 
don, it is best to lay open the wound and make an ordinary incised wound., 



THE HORSE GENERAL DISEASES AND INJURIES. 209 

treating it then as directed under the last subject above. If a tendon be 
punctured and fluid is discharged around it, or if a joint be punctured, 
adopt the treatment laid down under Open Joints. If lock-jaw ensues, as 
is likely to be the case from this kind of wound, especially if the foot be 
pricked, consult the section on that subject. Should flies' eggs be seen in 
the sore, apply carbolic-acid lotion for their destruction. 

LACERATED WOUNDS. 

These are injuries in which the skin and parts under it are torn, jag- 
ged, irregular, and often bruised. They are caused by nails or hooks in 
the walls of the stable, poles or sticks running into the flesh, and the like. 

Treatment. — Bring the parts of the wound as nearly as possible in- 
to the natural position of the skin, and cut off those portions of lacerated 
skin which you know would surely slough off eventually. Grit or 
sand should be previously removed, by bathing in warm water if the bleed- 
ing be slight, or by dashing on cold water if the bleeding be profuse. If 
the wound be large, a surgeon may sew the parts, bringing the lips closely 
together. For the inflammation, which is usually severe, use warm fomen- 
tations every one, two or three hours, keeping a bandage on to exclude the 
air and to prevent the washing away of the lymph which is essential to 
healing. In about a week, when inflammation has subsided, remove the 
bandage and discontinue fomentations, allowing a little water to run over 
the wound to remove superfluous matter. The use of a sponge must be 
avoided, as it will remove the lymph. Indeed, unless the matter is very 
plentiful and has a bad smell, even water should not run over the wound. 
When healing commences, oil-silk or collodion, applied with a very soft 
hrush, mav be put on the sore to exclude the air. Liniments are usually 
harmful; nature should take her course, with such assistance as has been 
mentioned, until granulations appear in the wound, when calendula-lotion 
will aid the skinning-over of the injury. Should the granulations rise 
above the skin, or "proud flesh" form, apply finely-powdered sulphate of 
zinc. For flies' eggs in the wound, apply a lotion of carbolic acid. Read 
the remark under Contused Wounds upon the use of butternut bark. 

OPEN JOINT OF THE LOWER JAW. 

This needs some special mention, and may be considered here, lacera- 
tion of the tongue being another specific kind of wound that will be 
noticed. Such open joint may be caused by a blow, the joint-oil escaping, 
the parts becoming painful and swollen, and the joint possibly becoming 
so inflamed as to cause disease in the bone and prevent eating. 



210 THE veterinary doctor. 

Treatment. — Keep the jaws fixed by a head-collar, with a strap 
fastened around the face and lower jaw above the nostrils. Feed only- 
thick gruels and other fluids until the jaw is completely healed. 

LACERATION OF THE TONGUE. 

Laceration of the tongue may result from a high port-bit; the forcible 
administration of food; irregular or long, rough teeth; a blow when the 
tongue hangs out; thorns, sharp bones, and the like. The symptoms are 
slobhering and inability to eat, which will lead to an examination that will 
discover the laceration. 

Treatment. — Remove foreign bodies. Apply a lotion of equal parts- 
of calendula and water. If ulcers appear, apply alum or hydrastis. Keep 
the bit out of the mouth for some time. Give soft green food. 

GENERAL CARE IN WOUNDS. 

Keep the wounded parts at rest. Remove anj r foreign body or mat- 
ter that may be in the wound. If the jaw be injured, give only sloppy 
diet, such as does not require mastication. If the legs are affected, the 
horse should be tied up in many cases, and occasionally should be so placed 
that he cannot gnaw the wound. If " proud flesh " forms, which is an 
excessive and unhealthy granulation, apply sulphate of zinc or copper,, 
nitrate of silver, or alum. If the healing process be too slow or stopped,, 
the wound may be roused again to action by gently removing the edges 
with a knife if it be in the skin, or by other mechanical irritation if an- 
other part be thus dormant. Poisoned wounds, as from snake-bites, should 
be promptly cauterized, as directed under Hydrophobia. All indications 
of lock-jaw should be promptly regarded. It is also desirable, often very 
urgent, that oil-silk be put over the dressing to exclude the air. 

STAKING. 

Staking is an injury sustained by leaping a fence or gate, the skin and 
tissues of the abdomen being punctured or torn. 

Treatment. — If the skin is not broken, but the muscles are torn, and 
the bowel falls into the torn part underneath, a well-fitting pad must be 
bandaged on and kept wet with arnica-lotion. Should the skin be broken 
and the bowel hang out, keep the horse where he is, gently wash blood 
and grit from the bowel with warm water, and replace it with gentle 
pressure and manipulation. The surgeon will then draw the lips of the 
wound together and bind them with pins and tow. With a bandage around 



THE HORSE — GENERAL DISEASES AND INJURIES. 211 

the body fasten on the part a pad kept wet in calendula-lotion. If the 
bowel has been torn, the surgeon will sew it up before replacing it. Give 
aconite and arnica alternately, ten drops every two hours. Keep the 
horse quiet. Give soft food, and that sparingly. 

SPRAINS. 

A sprain is an over-stretching of muscles, ligaments or tendons, and 
may arise from either of various causes. It affects any part that is subject 
to such undue tension. 

Symptoms. — Pain on pressure, or motion; redness; swelling; heat; 
fever of the affected member, and sometimes of the general system. Since a 
sprain will impair or destroy the use of the parts, the muscles about such 
parts will waste more or less, such a condition being known by the gen- 
eral term " sweeny," though it is popularly applied quite exclusively to 
such a condition about the shoulders. This specific form of sweeny will be 
considered further on. 

General Treatment of Sprains. — For fever, when it exists, 
give aconite several times a day. Arnica is needed when the sprain is in 
the muscles; and rhus if it is in the tendons or ligaments. Apply fomenta- 
tions, or bandages kept wet in water (hot in winter and cold in summer), 
or in a lotion of arnica or rhus. Lint wet in equal parts of glycerine, al- 
cohol and water, and covered with oil-silk and a bandage, is an excellent 
dressing. Poultices will be found beneficial in some cases. Simple rest 
may be sufficient in some sprains, and is always essential. When the inflam- 
mation has been reduced by any of the means which have been mentioned, 
a lotion of one part of rhus to eight of water may be well rubbed in night 
and morning, and a moderately tight bandage be applied. An excellent 
liniment is made on the following formula: 

Soap liniment, 4 ounces. 

Camphor, y 2 ounce. 

Liquor ammonias, 1 ounce. 

Mix. 

Rub on a spoonful once a day, for two or three days perhaps, but dis- 
continue it as soon as a mild blister is produced. Keep the horse's head 
tied up forty-eight hours, and repeat the application in ten days if necessary. 

SWEENY. 

We apply this term, in its popular sense, to a sprain of the muscles 
which fill the back cavity on the outer side of the shoulder-blade, and 



212 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

which pass over the outer side of the shoulder-joint. It chiefly affects 
colts and young horses that are put to the plow, but occurs in any horses 
that travel on uneven ground where they are liable to step into holes. 

Symptoms. — Heat, swelling, tenderness on the outside of the shoulder- 
joint, and a gait which is peculiar to this disorder; the walk or trot may be 
attended with little or no lameness; looking at the animal from in front, 
one sees that the affected shoulder rolls outward much more than the other; 
the muscles soon begin to waste rapidly, and in extreme cases the shoulder- 
blade will seem to be covered only by the skin. Like symptoms, even 
including the characteristic waste of the muscles, may attend sprains in 
other parts, more notably the haunch, and such cases require substantially 
the same treatment as shoulder-sweeny. 

Treatment. — It may take treatment for months to effect a complete 
filling of the cavity, but this can be done if the case is taken before it has 
stood long; in those which are fully confirmed only a partial restoration 
can be effected. In the first stages, marked by heat and other acute symp- 
toms, treat as directed for Sprains. After such symptoms have been 
subdued, impose exercise on smooth ground and rub the parts with a rough 
rag, a bunch of hay or a stick to stimulate circulation — the liniment made 
on the formula given under Sprains being a most useful adjunct to this end. 
Another superior local application is here given : 

Oil of spike, 2 ounces. 

Origanum, 2 " 

Aqua ammonia, 2 " 

Turpentine, 2 " 

Sweet oil, 2 " 

Alcohol, 2 " 
Mix. 



I 



Apply every morning for three days, and on the fourth day wash 
^.noroughly with Castile soap and water. On the fifth apply as befbre, 
continuing three days, then washing as on the fourth day. So continue 
until a cure is effected, rubbing well with the hand at each application. 

SHOULDER-LAMENESS. 

Many mistakes are made in locating lameness in the shoulders. Hence, 
the symptoms should be the more carefully named and observed. 

Symptoms. — The horse is unwilling to raise or advance the leg, and 
moves it by dragging it with the toe on the ground, turning it around \ 
when he does advance it; pain is caused by lifting and drawing the leg 



THE HORSE GENERAL DISEASES AND INJURIES. 



218 



forward or outward, and by pressure on the affected muscles; sometimes a 
swelling at the point of the large bone near the breast, which is pained by 
pressing the fingers along the muscles. 

Treatment. — Frequently foment the part with warm water. When 
active inflammation ceases, rub in the camphorated ammoniacal liniment 
of which the formula is given under Sprains. 

DISLOCATIONS. 



These almost always need the services of a surgeon. They are gen- 
erally characterized by a protuberance over the displaced joint, which is 
caused by the end of the bone pressing against the skin which covers it. 
The use of the joint is, of course, lost while the displacement continues. 
The accompanying illustration of a dislocation of the whirl-bone, with the 
protuberance at the joint, will be a guide in detecting the disorder in other 
joints. We here give the special symptoms and treatment of a dislocation 
of the stifle-joint. 

Symptoms. — Should the stifle-bone be displaced, the leg protrudes 
backward during motion, with inability to draw it under the body ; the 
pastern trails along the ground; swelling appears on the outside of the 
joint. In a sprain of the stifle-joint there will be the heat, swelling and 
tenderness incident to sprains, and in action the horse will carry his leg 
around instead of raising it naturally. 

Treatment. — We mention the treatment of this form of dislocation 
because it may be attempted by any intelligent person; but displacements 
in other joints should always be treated by a 
surgeon. A line should be passed around the 
pastern and an assistant draw the leg forward 
and upwaixl towai'd the belly, while the oper- 
ator puts his arms around the haunches, places 
his hand on the outer angle of the stifle-bone, 
presses it forward and upward, and thus manip- 
ulates until the bone slips back to its j;>lace, 
as indicated by a snap. Keep the head tied 
up for a few days to keep the horse from 
lying down, and apply a strong pitch-plaster 
to the joint to prevent a recurrence of the dislocation, 
tendons will need to be treated as directed for Sprains 




Dislocation of the Whirl- 
Bone. 



The strained 
To keep 

the horse from lying down the requisite time slings may be necessary 
to relieve the limbs of a part of their weight, and a suitable one is shown 
in cut 169. 



214 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

FRACTURES OF BONES. 

Fractures are caused by various forms of violence. In some cases 
it may be difficult for one who is not conversant with such matters 
to detect their existence, but generally little trouble will be found 
in deciding the matter, especially in the legs. In nearly every case 
when a fracture is discovered or suspected, a veterinary surgeon should be 
called at once, though in bad fractures in the legs of horses which are of 
an excitable disposition, treatment is quite useless, and it is better to shoot 
the horse, as always in broken back. After the surgeon has operated on 
the fracture and left, swelling and inflammation may be so great, especially 
if splints have been used, that he must be recalled. Should "proud flesh" 
form when laceration of the tissues has been caused, apply to it nitrate of 
stiver or powdered sulphate of zinc. If the skull be broken, as may occur 
from the horse rearing and falling backward, immediate care should be 
taken to prevent poll evil; if fhe latter ensues, follow the treatment else- 
where laid down for it. If the ribs be fractured, and it is certain that a 
sharp end does not protrude inward, but the ends of the ribs are joined and 
protrude outward, pass around the body a compress and bandage, giving 
absolute rest and quiet. Some weeks are required for a cure of a fracture. 

OVER-EXERTION. 

Over-exertion gives rise to symptoms which call for treatment, prom- 
inent among which are loss of appetite; failure to lie down; sleep while 
the animal stands; hanging head; pulse slow and weak, or quick and hard, 
the animal being much excited. 

Treatment. — If there be loss of appetite, and failure to lie down 
when the animal is very tired, give nux vomica. If the horse moans at 
each movement, rhus will be useful. When the pulse is hard, quick, and 
attended with great excitement, give aconite. Arnica is efficacious if the 
legs be paralyzed; arsenicum, if they be stiff; rhus, if they be swollen. If 
the animal is distressed during fatigue, give easily digested food, not in too 
great quantities, as bran-mashes, steamed carrots and turnips, sweet hay 
shaken up and sprinkled with water, oats (about two quarts) soaked and 
well mixed together. As a drink, give water, not cold, and boiled oatmeal. 



.W. 







CHAPTER XII. 
GENERAL CARE. 

AILMENTS OF DOMESTICATION. 

WHE horse seldom suffers from disease when he enjoys his natural 
freedom and untrammeled activity out of doors, but in domestica- 
tion he soon becomes liable to more or less of the many ailments 
^rJ incident thereto. The subject of health is a broad one as applied 
to any animal organism, too broad indeed for any detailed consideration 
that will at once be full enough for its demands, and yet brief enough to be 
read and heeded. As in the human being one seldom studies with pa- 
tience and precision the requirements of health until sickness has come on, 
so the master of a horse is too prone to pass the laws of hygiene of his 
faithful servant until disease has rendered him unfit for the duties required 
of him. As was remarked on a preceding page, it is scarcely less than 
cruelty for one to withhold a due study of the needs of the dumb and help- 
less brutes which are taken from their state of nature and compelled to do 
the drudgery and bear the burdens of mankind. It is too often the case 
that one pays only such heed to his animals as will enable him to draw from 
them the service he wishes, without being humane enough to make due 
provision for the comfort and convenience of the animals, which is his 
" reasonable service." It is the purpose here to make notes upon the ordi- 
nary particulars in the care of the horse, omitting the technical and scien- 
tific data which both deter one from reading what is essential, and are of 
little popular use. In so doing, we shall allude to some of the common 
causes of disease and discomfort and indicate the means of removing them. 

AIR AND VENTILATION. 

Though able to bear severe changes in the weather when running all the 
time in the open fields, the horse suffers greatly from the same influences after 
being comfortably stabled for any considerable length of time. While the cause 
of colds and like diseases is often traceable to atmospheric changes, a very 
frequent source of the same will be found in the anxiety to exclude the air 

215 



EXPLANATIONS OF FIGURE 

The figure on the opposite page exhibits a complete outline of a per- 
fect horse and indicates the measurements of the same. The whole is 
taken, by permission, from the Horse-Shoer and Hardware yotirnal: 



SKELETON AND OTHER PARTS. 



i. Vertebra; of the Neck. 

2. Breatt-Bone. 

3. Shoulder-Blade. 

4. Bone of the Arm. 

5. Radius. 
'6. Ulna. 

7. Elbow. 

8. Ribs. 

9. Carpal Bones. 

10. Metacarpal Bones. 

11. Great Pastern. 

12. Little Pastern. 



Coffin Bone and Hoof. 

Vei tebne of the Back. 

Vertebra? of the Loins. 

Bason Bone. 

Thigh Bone. 

Patella. 

Tibia. 

20. Fibula. 

21. Bones in the Hock. 

22. Metatarsal Bones. 

23. Pastern Bones. 

24. The Coffin Bone and Hrof. 



13- 
14. 

IS- 
16. 

17- 

iS. 

<9 



FAMILIAR TERMS. 



a. Crest. 

b. Withers. 

c. Throat. 

d. Shoulder Points. 

e. Arm. 
/. Knee. 

g. Fetlock (fore). 
h. Pastern (fore). 
*. Foot. 
i i. Coronet. 



k. Body. 

/. Quarter. 

in. Dock. 

n. Sheath. 

o. Hock. 

/. Shank. 

q. Fetlock (hind). 

r. Pastern (hind). 

s. Foot 

/. Thigh. 



1. Toes. 



2. Horn. 



The Foot. 



3. Sole. 



4. Frog. 



5. Heel. 



PROPORTIONS OF THE PERFECT HORSE. 



A A, line separating two rectangles which show the Depth of the Body as proportioned 

to the Length of the Legs. 
B and C, lines dividing off the fore and hind Quarters and the Body, and indicating 

their respective and comparative proportions. 



Length of Head, generally 

Across Eyes 

Across Nose 

From Eye to Cheek Bone ...... 

Neck across Gullet 

Middle of Neck 

Across. Neck at Body 

From Withers to Ground 

From Crest of Loins to Ground. 

From Elbow to Stifle 

From Elbow to Knee 

From Knee to Ground . 

From Withers to Chest 



Ft. 


In. 


I 


IO 


O 


9 l A 


O 


7 


O 


8 


I 


4 


I 


7 


2 





s 


2 


5 


1 


2 


4 


1 


5 


1 


7 



Across Arm 

Across Knee 

Across Shank under Knee 

Across Fetlock-Joint 

Across Pastern 

Across Coronary Bone. 

Highest Part of Hoof 

Length of Hoof from Toe to Heel. 

From Rump to Tail 

From Hip to End of Quarters... . 

Across Hock 

Across Shank below Hock 

Across Fetlock , 



Ft. 


In. 


O 


6 


O 


4% 


O 


2>X 


O 


4 


O * 


■5 


O 


A% 


O 


A l A 


O 


M 


I 


1 


I 


9 


O 


by 7 


O 


33/ 


O 


VA 



216 




LA PORTE'S STRUCTURE AND PROPORTIONS. 



217 



218 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

by closing doors, windows, and ventilators, thus keeping the animal in a 
temperature warmer than that to which he has been accustomed, and in an 
.atmosphere made impure by noxious gases and a deficiency of oxygen. 
Such treatment will sooner give a horse a cold than an opposite one, for 
he may be turned out of a warm stable to grass with little or no injury, 
since the loss of heat by extreme cold will be repaired by internal combus- 
tion, the oxygen from the cold air acting on the carbon given off from the 
lungs, and thus producing carbonic acid, the chief source of animal heat. 
Cool air stimulates and invigorates the bod)', rendering it less liable to dis- 
ease; hot air is weakening, for the external temperature being so little be- 
low the internal, heat is not required, and a sufficient quantity of oxygen is 
not breathed to properly assimilate the large amount of nutritious food 
still given, which now tends to render the blood impure by excess of car- 
bon, and the body more liable to disease. Cool air increases the appetite 
by bracing the muscular fibers, especially those of the stomach. Hot air 
-deranges the liver and organs of digestion. When the temperature is mod- 
erate and oxygen is in excess, the carbon is mainly carried off hy the lungs; 
but if the external heat approaches that of the internal, the carbon, instead 
of being removed by the lungs and passed off as carbonic gas, is left to be 
borne off by the liver; and thus the liver and digestive organs become de- 
ranged. We therefore see how important it is to keep our stables cool, 
and at the same time to avoid cold currents of air. The most appropriate 
temperature is sixty degrees, and this we should endeavor to maintain dur- 
ing both summer and winter, even if the surface of the body must be kept 
warm by a moderate amount of clothing. 

Impure air is a much more fruitful source of disease than hot air; 
hence the importance of keeping the stable thoroughly clean. The air 
which has been breathed, the moisture from sweats, the urine and dung, 
are all very poisonous to the horse. The first two can be easily removed 
by ventilation. The dung should be frequently cleared away, before the 
horse has trodden it or the bedding is befouled. Diseased feet as well as 
poisonous air often result from rotted dung. The urine should be carefully 
taken away by drains before time is afforded for the rising of the odors of 
ammonia, which are very hurtful to the health of the animal. 

From what has been said above it is clear that a special regard should 
be had to ventilation. Pure air consists of eighty parts of oxygen and 
twenty parts of nitrogen. Any influence which considerably disturbs this 
proportion proves injurious to the health of the horse. Pure blood and 
good health depend upon a liberal supply of oxygen. If we open an artery 
and immediately examine the blood, we will find it to be a bright-scarlet 
color, coming just from the lungs where it has been in contact with air 



THE HORSE GENERAL CARE. 219 

taken into these organs. The blood in the veins, on the other hand, is of a 
dark-red color, bearing the impurities taken from all parts of the system. 
By experiment it has been shown that pure oxygen gives this scarlet color 
to the blood, while no other gas does. Hence, it can only be that it is 
oxygen which purifies the blood. Again, it is found that, if a horse takes 
in one hundred cubic inches of pure air at one breath, he takes about eighty 
cubic inches of oxygen and twenty of nitrogen, these being usually very 
slightly reduced by traces of carbonic gas. But the one hundred cubic inches 
of air thrown from the lungs contains about fifteen of oxygen, eighty of 
nitrogen, four of carbonic gas, and one of water-vapor. Thus the air by 
breathing loses what is best for life, and takes what is harmful. If the 
same air be breathed over time and again, it is clear that it must soon 
utterly fail to sustain life, being indeed very poisonous. 

When it is known that a horse will breathe about fifty thousand cubic 
inches of air in an hour, generating about five thousand cubic inches of car- 
bonic gas, some idea may be gained of the demand for provisions for 
changing the air often in an occupied stable. Many experiments have been 
made on horses stabled in large numbers, and it has been always shown 
that sickness and death are much less frequent when proper room and ven- 
tilation are afforded. Suitable ventilation consists, first, in the' introduction 
of a sufficient quantity of pure air without draught; second, in the removal 
of foul air by other outlets than doors or windows. The first part leads to 
two important questions, namely, what is a sufficient quantity of air for each 
horse, and how is it to be supplied? Each horse requires a space of not less 
than two thousand cubic feet, and the air should be changed at least three 
times an hour. The windows and inlets for fresh air should be placed well 
above the animal, the former so arranged that the wind will not blow 
directly on him. 

As the space necessary for each horse is too large to be practicable for 
most private establishments, we must next consider how we may have 
healthy stables with less space. It is quite possible by attending to the fol- 
lowing rules of ventilation: First, breathed air being lighter than atmos- 
pheric, it ascends toward the roof, passes out if no obstruction is in its way, 
and is replaced by pure air admitted from doors, windows, and other iidets. 
Second, if carbonic or other gases be confined by ceiled roofs or otherwise, 
they become condensed and diffused, mingling with the pure atmosphere 
and rendering it injurious to health. These rules have no reference to cubic 
space, hut simply require a free outlet above for the impure air, and free 
inlet through windows or other openings by which the vacuum can be 
instantly filled. The simplest way of carrying out these rules is to do 
away with ceilings and lofts overhead, and merely have the sides boarded 



220 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

within, which will make the stable neither too hot in summer nor too cold 
in winter; but where this cannot be done, air-chambers should be carried up 
from the stable roof, and be so guarded by revolving caps as to prevent any 
current of air from passing down into the horse's apartments. 

FOOD AND DRINK. 

Food. — Green Fodder. — Grass is the natural food for the horse. Of 
its many varieties some possess little nutriment and are of limited value as 
food; others are not adapted to the constitution, and lead to diseases often attrib- 
uted to other causes, if given as regular food. When the amount of nour- 
ishment is small, the animal must take a large bulk to support life, rendering 
the belly large, loading the flesh with fat and making it soft and flabby, a 
condition unfavorable to quick work. Young horses and those from which 
work is not required may be profitably put upon grass that has a mixture of 
clover. Putting horses designed for immediate service upon grass is seldom 
advisable, as it produces loss in the nervous system, and the limbs are injured 
by the extra strain required to get the animal again in condition for work. 

A great variety of opinions exists as to the relative amount of nourish- 
ment in the different green foods, as clover, timothy, blue grass, lucerne, 
green oats, and the like. At first these should be given in small quantities, 
mixed with half the usual allowance of hay; but after the first week or 
ten days the hay may be discontinued and the quantity of oats be increased,, 
but not wholly withheld from horses designed for quick work. Clover is 
the most fattening, but it is apt to produce colic when given too plentifully 
at first. 

Roots. — Of roots given to horses the most common are potatoes,, 
turnips, carrots and pai'snips. The first two should be boiled and mixed 
with hay and bran; they are good only for farm-horses, and of indifferent 
value for them, being merely productive of fat and lacking flesh-forming 
principles. Carrots given raw are supposed to be good for the wind, but, 
excepting in very small quantities, are unfit for horses doing quick work. 
The remarks about carrots apply equally to parsnips; they are generally 
chopped and mixed with corn, and when given for a time make the horse 
inclined to refuse oats, unless the latter be added to the parsnips. A 
horse in good condition is not benefited by them, but if he be hide-bound, 
or his skin be unheaith}'-, they are profitable. They should be given whole, 
to prevent choking. Beets are considered good feeding in late spring. 
AH roots should be mixed with other food to secure their best results. 

Hay. — Hay may be composed of clover, mixed clover and timothy, blue 
grass, or prairie or upland grass. For heavy work and when weight and 



THE HORSE GENERAL CARE. 221 

bulk are desired, pure timothy, or timothy mixed with clover, is the best; 
but for road-horses, driving, racing, or any quick work, blue grass or upland 
prairie should be used. Hay should be well cured, and if possible be put 
up and dried without wetting. It should not be allowed to get over-ripe, as 
in that case the seed will be lost and the stalk lose much of its nourishing 
properties. Good hay has a bright-green appearance and sweet odor, and 
is pleasant to the taste. As a rule, clover is better adapted to cattle and 
sheep than to horses. The quantity of hay necessary for a horse depends 
upon his size, constitution, kind of work, and the amount of other food 
given. Eight pounds of hay and twelve of oats form a good allowance for 
a fairly-worked horse. Clover, hay and straw, cut into chaff, a double- 
handful being added to each feed, will be very beneficial. 

Stra-jj. — Straw is now often substituted for hay, and by attention to the 
following directions will be found quite as good. The nutritive property in 
either hay or straw consists in the amount of its nitrogenous principle. 
Now, taking the whole of the straw, not including the head, we find by 
chemical investigation that it contains one-third as much nitrogenous prin- 
ciple as hay ; consequently we should give about thirty pounds of straw 
daily as an equivalent for ten pounds of hay. The upper third, that is, the 
end with the chaff, is found to be almost as suitable for forming flesh as the 
best meadow hay, and seven pounds of this will answer for six pounds of hay, 
and keep the horse in equally good condition for work. 

h\ this connection may be given the results of experiments made on 
sixty thousand horses by a special commission appointed in France. 
This successfully overthrows the erroneous opinions entertained regarding 
the value of straw. It was shown that straw is better for the constitution 
and working condition of horses than hay, although it does not produce in 
them an equal bulk when given whole in the same proportion as hay. 

During a period of five weeks two sets of horses, each numbering 
about seven thousand, were experimented upon. To one class were 
given eighteen pounds of straw and nine and one-fifth pounds of oats; 
to the other class, eighteen pounds of hay and nine and one-fifth pounds of 
oats, the combined weights being the same for each class, the only differ- 
ence being an interchange of hay and straw. The horses fed on straw 
were vigorous at their work, and did not sweat much. Of those fed on 
hay the weight of the body increased, the dung was copious but hard, dry, 
and black; they were covered with sweat when at work, and were much 
softer than usual, a fact which is perhaps accounted for by the quantity of 
hay being larger than was usually given. In the stable the skin was 
warm and dry, the horse yawned often, respiration was impeded, and thirst 
was "reater than in those fed on oats and straw. There was no change in 



222 the; veterinary doctor. 

the size of the body of those fed on straw, but those fed on hay increased 
in bulk. The results of other experiments may be thus summed up: Oats 
and straw are the foods which agree best with the horse, and hay that 
which agrees least. Barley comes after oats and straw, then rye. A 
mixture of straw with one of these grains w ould be the best combination. 
Horses fed exclusively on oats drink and sweat less than those fed on hay 
or straw, and their vigor is superior. Oats and straw, even in less quanti- 
ties than hay, would put the horse in better condition and make him more 
vigorous. 

There is a strong objection to new hay, but it has no sufficient grounds- 
The French commission named above investigated this subject and the 
result was that the horses fed on tl\e usual allowance of new hay for two- 
mouths were found as hard and vigorous as when fed on old hay. But to 
make certain whether new hay had an injurious effect, the daily allowance 
was increased one-half, and in all cases, though for fifteen days the horses, 
were a little soft, they regained their whole energy and became hardier 
and in better condition. New hay therefore is not detrimental but highly 
beneficial, if well cured. 

Oats. — In feeding oats care should be taken that they be full and 
hard, with thin husks, free from dust and pebbles, sweet to the taste> 
and agreeable to the smell. One is liable to give his horse too short an 
allowance when feeding oats, if he is not observant of the weight, per 
bushel by measure, since they vary a great deal. It is found that a horse 
will consume a given bulk in oats, and hence the heavier the grain the 
more nourishment will the horse get, and it should be determined that he 
is getting an adequate amount for the service required. The opinion that 
new oats are indigestible and injurious to the kidneys and bowels seems to 
lack a full support. That they are not good for horses put to speed is 
probably true, but they are not unwholesome for other classes, as has been 
shown by horses in the British and French military, where they have been 
found equal in fattening properties to the old grain, and do not make the 
animal sick. Oats dried in a kiln, especially if they are soft, are nearly or 
quite as good as the old. Crushed oats are more readily digested and are 
hence more desirable for animals with defective digestion; but if three 
parts of these ai*e mixed with one of beans, the result will be improved. 
Oats that are musty or have been heated are very injurious, more often 
causing disorders than those that ai'e dirty; but injuries attributed to them 
are quite often due to mow-heated or musty hav. 

Beans and Peas. — These have about the same nutriment and the same 
effect on the animal; but they have about twice as much of flesh-forming 
principle as oats. In large quantities they are too heavy for food and apt 



THE HORSE GENERAL CARE. 223' 

to derange digestion. A handful , however, mixed with a feed of oats, i& 
very beneficial, though this remark applies only to horses doing hard 
work. Beans are cheaper and more easi.ly digested, and hence are prefer- 
able. A given measure of either is much more than equal to the same 
measure of oats. 

Barley. — Barley is fattening, and improves the coating. It is not so 
digestible as oats, unless it be well soaked in water or, still better, kiln- 
dried. For horses on the road barley so prepared is superior. If it has 
been water-soaked until it has sprouted and then dried, it is good for horses- 
that are delicate and refuse other food. 

Indian Corn. — It is best to crack this, or give it in meal, and mix it 
with chopped hay and straw. While it is good for horses doing slow work y 
it is not good for those requiring quick action. If the meal be mixed with, 
twice its weight of cut hay, it makes perhaps the best article for ordinary 
feeding; but it is better to combine or alternate this with some mixture of oats. 

Bran. — Bran is good both for healthy and sick hoi-ses. It should not 
be given if fine, as it forms too much of a paste and closes the passages in 
the membrane. Coarse bran, with hot water poured upon it and covered 
awhile befoi'e using, is very good, especially when the horse is temporarily 
relieved from labor. Improved milling has, however, so reduced bran that 
the nutrimenc is very small, and care should be taken that the animal be not 
compelled to depend too largely upon it. Dry bran mixed with corn will 
often improve the mastication. 

Quantity and Quality of Food. — Though these differ much according; 
to the work, age and constitution of the horse, it may be remarked in 
general that the growing colt or very active horse requires more food than 
others; that more is necessary in cold weather than in warm; that horses- 
doing fast work require substantial food in condensed form at regular inter- 
vals, given two hours before fast service is required ; that those doing fast and 
laborious work should have as much as thev will eat with a good appetite,, 
the hay being limited ; that those doing slow and not laborious work, as well 
as idle ones, should have less grain and more hay or straw, bran and green 
food being given at times; that those which purge on rapid work should 
not have much water until after the work, and should be fed not less than 
two hours before work, a small quantity of beans being added to each feed 
of oats, and an ounce and a half of flour in the form of paste being added 
to the water when given before work ; and, finally, that horses in ill-health, 
should have soft or cooked food and, when possible, some that is green. 

Young horses just put up from grass should have walking exercise. 
If a mixture of bran and oats in equal parts be fed, it should be well soaked 
in warm water to insure perfect digestion. The following is, perhaps, the- 



224 



THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 



best plan: First week, bran-mashes morning and evening, with oats at noon; 
second and third week, oats morning and noon, with bran-mashes at night; 
thereafter, bran-mashes every second night, with oats at other times. 

Comparative Values of Foods. — Animals doing quick work expend 
much muscular fibei - , and hence require food containing Jibrine to restore 
the loss. Corn and beans furnish this; but hay contains some salt-properties 
not in corn, so that it should be added. The brain, too, requires fatty matter, 
albumen, and gelatinous elements, and carbon is requisite for animal heat. 
The value of foods for the blood depends upon the amount they contain of 
the component parts of the blood, as chlorides (including common salt), 
phosphates and alkalies. While, as before stated, fibrine and albumen are 
highly nutritive for horses doing fast or laborious work, food containing 
sugar and starch are especially adapted to the production of fat, and also of 
carbon, the generator of heat. The woody part of food is not nutritive, 
but supplies the necessary bulk, and gives the moderate distension of the 
stomach required for proper digestion. Keeping in mind the foregoing 
remarks, one may with tolerable accuracy determine the relative values of 
foods for different conditions by an examination of the subjoined table of 
*' Stonehenge," which exhibits the proportion of the different constituents 
in ioo parts of the various foods named: 



Hay 

Clover Hay. 
Oat Straw. . . 

Oats 

Beans 

Peas 

Barley 

Indian Corn. 

Bran 

•Carrots 





Starch 


Fibrine 








Woodv 


and 


and 


Fatty 


Saline 


Water. 


Fiber. 


Sugar. 


Albumen. 


Matter. 


Matter. 




30 


40 


•7 


2 


7 


14 


2 5 


40 


9 


3 


9 


H 


50 


31 


* 1 


a trace 


5-5 


12.5 


20 


53 


11. 4 


.6 


2-5 


12.5 


H-5 


40 


26 


2-5 


3 


H 


9 


■48 


24 


2 


3 


H 


H 


52 


i3-5 


2-5 


3 


J 5 


6 


62 


12 


5 


1 


H 


54 


2 


20 


4 


7 


13 


3 


10 


i-5 





i-5 


84 



, * The upper third, with the head, has about 7. 



General Remarks on Feeding. — The frequency of feeding should be 
varied according to the length of time the horse works. The feeds should 
be at regular intervals. Harnessing is a matter of such short time that the 
horse should be unharnessed while feeding and receive grooming when 
stabled for feed. Extra quantities of food should not be given in anticipa- 
tion of special work, as it will be attended with a waste in undigested food, 
or derange the appetite. Brood-mares and colts should be allowed good 
pasturage, which may also be accorded with profit to other horses not in con- 



THE HORSE GENERAL CARE. 225 

stant use, horses engaged in frequent racing always excepted during their 
engagements. Where great fleetness is required, grain should be given, 
with enough chopped straw or chaff to insure perfect mastication. Grains of 
all kinds are best crushed, and when mixed with chaff should be so thoroughly 
mingled that they cannot be picked out and the chaff left. Twelve pounds 
of oats per day, divided into three feeds, make an average allowance for a 
horse in regular work during winter when green food is wanting. An 
equivalent for this may be easily chosen from the above table of " Stone- 
henge." Damaged food of any kind should be avoided, the feeding of it 
being mistaken and foolish economy. The most successful breeders persist 
in feeding a little hay at night in the rack, despite the prejudice. against this 
method. It is better to slightly moisten the hay with salt-water, to prevent 
dust and impart a relish. The hay should be of the best quality, and be 
'given in small quantities, for the practice of putting large amounts in a rack 
proves very wasteful. 

Drink. — By noting the amount of moisture thrown out by the lungs, 
mouth and skin, one gains an idea of the absolute necessity of caring for 
proper drinking to keep up the normal condition of the body. But usual 
are should be exercised that the amount may not be so great as to keep 
animal weakened. The quantity which a horse will consume varies 
(greatly — from about four gallons per day to four or five times this amount; in 
.special instances even the last amount has been surpassed very much. The 
jhorse should be watered, as a rule, three times a day; in cold weather, and 
(in absence of work, twice is sometimes sufficient, while in hot weather, 
jduring work, three times are not enough. In the latter case a small allow- 
ance may be given just before the feed and as much, if it is taken, before 
the meal is finished. In other cases, water should usually not be given 
within an hour before feeding, nor when the animal is warm. The horse 
at work should not be allowed an unlimited supply, but a small amount 
should be given at each time, and at frequent intervals. Though hard 
[water may not injure the horse that is accustomed to it, soft, clean water 
lis always decidedly better. Very cold water is never good, and often in- 
ijures, if it does not kill the horse. Pure, cool water is the best. 

GROOMING, BATHING, EXERCISE AND CLIPPING. 

Grooming. — Grooming is positively essential for both the appearance 
and the health of the horse. The watery portions of the body and worn- 
out material pass out through the pores of the skin, and if these be clogged 
by scurf, this refuse material must pass away through the lungs, liver, kid- 
neys and bowels, causing derangement of these parts. Not only are the 



icare 

the 



226 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

pores kept open by grooming, but the vessels and pores as well are stimu- 
lated to increased action, and thus the oil at the roots of the hair passes 
through the skin, giving a fine glossy appearance to the animal. The 
horse should be groomed in the open air, unless the weather is bad. Even 
the apparent injury from cold air is more than balanced by the 
increased warmth secured by the friction. The curry-comb should be 
used sparing^, and a stiff, hard brush be briskly applied. Rubbing the 
legs downward with the hand is very beneficial. Horses that are not 
housed and those which are turned out just after work should merely have 
the mud, dust, dried sweat and the like removed when they are turned out 
or taken up, the skin to be left undisturbed. The use of a soft brush, or 
of a dry cloth passed lightly over the hair, will generally suffice. 

Washing after Work. — If properly done, this is to be highly 
recommended. We all know from experience how refreshed we feel after 
a warm bath, and it is but reasonable to suppose that it will have a like 
effect upon the horse, and render him less liable to inflammation and con- 
gestion of any internal organ, as well as give him the quiet which he 
needs. The proper mode of washing is to apply quite warm water and 
soap quickly and freely to the whole surface and scrape it as dry as pos- 
sible, then rub with wash-leathers for ten minutes, not longer. The usual 
clothing should then be put on and be covered with an extra blanket, the 
legs being bandaged with flannels. The animal should now have some 
grain-gruel and afterward some bran-mashes. After two hours in this con- 
dition the body becomes warm, and the outside blanket, which will be wet, 
should be removed and the horse be well bedded. 

Dry bandages should be used for drying the legs or warming them. 
Wet, wa?'m bandages tone up the vessels and relieve them by removing 
heat. Wet, cold bandages produce sweating and carry off some of the 
contents of the vessels; but if the cold bandage be not kept cool in some 
way, it will soon act as if it were originally warm. Wet bandages are de- 
sirable in cases of sprains, blows, and long exertion on hard roads, but 
should not be continued longer than is actually necessary, or they may have 
an effect the opposite of the one desired, which is to excite evaporation 
and to remove deposits from the interstices of the flesh. If applied too 
long, they inflame the skin, and cause the hair to fall. 

Clothing. — Horses doing slow work and having their natural coat 
are better without any clothing. But clothing is far preferable to a hot 
stable, and as a glossy coat is very desirable, the horse should be warmly 
clothed, and the stable be kept cool and well ventilated. 

Exercise. — This is absolutely necessary to promote digestion and 
otherwise preserve health. Quick work is injurious directly after feeding, 



THE HORSE GENERAL CARE. 227 

or when the hoi^se has just been taken from pasture. Young horses should 
be given walking exercise two hours daily for the first month of training; 
during the second, be slowly trotted, the speed being but gi'adually in- 
creased thereafter. One of the most prolific causes of disorders in the feet 
and breathing organs is the lack of regular exercise properly given. 
Horses in steady and easy work are presumed to receive the best exercise. 
If only occasional extreme work is required, there is all the more demand 
for systematic training or exercise, as it hardens the muscles, and fits the 
horse for the severe strain put upon him. 

The horse should not be taken out immediately after feeding, nor 
should he be put beyond a moderate foot-pace for at least a half-hour there- 
after. Then he may be quickened according to the demands upon him. 
Heating in exercise should be avoided, but if it be induced, the animal 
should be walked before returning to the stable, until he is cool. 

Feeding should always precede the exercise by at least a half-hour. 
The horse may then be taken out for an hour and a half in the forenoon 
and afternoon each, the hours to be chosen, according to the season, when 
it will not be excessively warm or cold. One of the commonest mistakes 
in the care of horses is blanketing immediately after the animal has entered 
the stable after hard driving or working. At such times vapor will rapidly 
rise for a few minutes and wet the blanket. As soon as it becomes cold 
the horse will be covered with a cold, wet coat, with no chance for an es- 
cape of the moisture, and thus almost surely be subjected to a chill. The 
proper course is to allow the steaming horse to stand for about ten minutes 
before putting on the blanket, thus giving an opportunity for a great part 
of the vapor to pass off. 

Clipping. — This is both an injury to the horse and a folly of fashion. 
It is purely artificial and utterly unnecessary. Still more, it does not se- 
cure greater beauty, a better looking animal being secured by a reasonable 
care of the coat which nature has given. Indeed, a well-groomed coat 
produces a gloss for an unshorn horse that is superior to any artificial ap- 
pearance, while the exposure incident to clipping is apt to create disorders 
of the hair and skin that will make a revival of the natural beauty impossible. 
This practice should be studiously avoided, because it attains no advantage, 
and is highly injurious, if not cruel, especially in extreme weather. 

THE STABLE. 

It has been said that about 60 ° is the proper temperature of the stable 
as a rule. In summer, however, the stable should be kept as cool as pos- 
sible, especially during the day. It is a mistaken idea that the temperature 



228 the veterinary doctor. 

should be kept on a level with the outdoor air. Indeed, in keen, frosty- 
weather the temperature within should be much above that outside. It is 
not only not advantageous to expose a horse to cold when he is inactive in 
a stable, with a view to inuring him to severity when he is taken out, but it 
is very injurious. The exercise when out of doors will compensate for a 
great change in temperature. But more caution is necessary, on the whole, 
to prevent too high a temperature in the stable, since it will greatly increase 
the poisonous gases arising from the excrements and other refuse of the 
stable, which are more injurious to health than a much lower temperature. 
Bedding. — This should have constant attention, and be kept 
thoroughly clean. Many of the coughs in horses which are closely stabled 
are undoubtedly traceable to a neglect of this important part of their care. 
Even among a few horses the foul matter in any joart of the stable, and 
the notoriously poisonous exhalations of the same> prove highly deleterious. 
In cold weather, when the closeness of the stable prevents a free circula- 
tion of the air, special care should be taken. It is not enough that the ma- 
nure and wet litter be removed from the stall; they should be carried entirely 
out of the stable, the stall itself being kept as dry as possible. When 
standing in the stable the horse should always have a liberal, supply of 
bedding, of which the best are wheat and oatstraw, though peastraw 
is good. Sawdust is reasonably good, but when it is wet it is more liable 
than straw to impart dampness to the stall. The floor should be swept 
before the bedding is put down for the night; then the litter should be 
carefully arranged, being higher at the sides than in the middle. 

CARE OF THE FEET. 

The feet are liable to so many mishaps and disorders that they need 
scrupulous care. They should be examined frequently — the careful man 
will do this daily — to see if any untoward condition exists. The shoes 
should receive special attention to detect any misfit, looseness, irregular 
pressure, and the like, and to discover any injuries to the feet and joints 
from the rims or nails on other feet. They should be drawn and re-set or 
replaced with new ones at intervals of from four to six weeks. When the 
horse is turned out, they should be taken entirely away, or should give 
place to the grazing-shoe. 

Heels with little hair should be sponged and carefully dried after a 
journey, and those with long or thick hair should be cleansed from dirt by 
hand-rubbing or otherwise. Horses that stand much in the stable should 
have a dirt floor, and in dry weather their feet may be washed occasion- 
ally, but such washing should be done quickly, particularly if the horse 



THE HORSE GENERAL CARE. 



229 



has first been in active exercise, and the feet should be thoroughly dried. 
Excessive washing and soaking is very injurious. To be sure, it is im- 
portant that the feet and legs be kept clean, but this can be so well done 
by thorough brushing and rubbing that frequent washing is unnecessary. 
Shoeing. — Few things in the care of the horse are so intimately as- 
sociated with his comfort and suffering as shoeing. Disorders arising from 
it are numerous and often impair or destroy his usefulness, as will be shown 
by a reference to the ailments treated in the preceding pages, particularly 
those of the extremities. For two reasons no detailed directions will be 
here given upon this important subject: First, the writer has noticed that 
such attempts in works similar to this have signally failed in imparting an 




Section of the Foot (see cut 173 ), juries. 



The Foot dissected to exhibit Tendons, Blood- 
vessels, and other Sensitive Parts. This, with cut 
195, shows that the Foot is very susceptible to In- 



intelligible idea of even what is needed, this doubtless being due to the 
fact that shoeing is a matter of practice, not to be learned in the first in- 
stance from books; second, even if it were jDossible to present an adequate 
treatise for the general reader, he would still be dependent upon the smith. 
If such smiths were to pay for the horses which they ruin by improper 
shoeing, it is doubtful whether they would have any profits whatever from 
this department of their handiwork. It is, however, urged that one do 
not intrust a service of such great moment to an inexperienced man, but that 
he repair to one of known intelligence and skill, even if that involves the 



230 



THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 



taking of his horse a long distance. If one's horse suffers from some acute 
disease, he will go almost any distance to secure competent counsel, but 
with strange inconsistence, or thoughtlessness, he will lead him into the 
shed of any blacksmith who can boast of enough muscle to "hold up any 
horse," notwithstanding the risk he runs of having the animal permanently 
injured, or wholly unfitted for use. The foot is a very sensitive member, 
copiously supplied with delicate layers, blood-vessels and exquisitely fitting 
bones and tendons, and he is a wise master who most jealously regards 
this part of his horse's organism. The accompanying cuts will serve to 
show how complicated and sensitive the foot is, and the writer hopes they 
will serve to make the reader particulaily careful in the choice of a man 
who shall pare, hammer and nail it. 




F-A-IR/T II 



THE OX AND HIS DISEASES. 




231 




The Bones of the Ox. 



I, Upper Jaw-Bone 2, Nasal Bone. 3, Lachrymal Bone. 4, Cheek-Bone. 5, Forehead. 6, Horns 
7, Temporal. 8, Parietal. 9, Occipital. 10, Lower Jaw-Bone. 11, Grinders. 12, Nippers, n, Lieamentof th<^ 
Neck 14, Joints of the Back i S , Atlas 16 Deatata. , 7t Eye-Socket. iS, Vertebra of th? Neck ,0 
Vertebrae of the Back. 20 Vertebrae of the Loins. 21, Sacrum. 22, Bones of the TaiL 27, Haunch and 
Pelvis 24, Eight True Ribs. 25 False Ribs. 26 Breast- Bone. 27, Shoulder-Blade. A Humerus 
29, Radius 40, Ulna. 41, Bones of the Knee. 42, Shank. 43. Splint. 44, Sesamoid. 4 e, Laree Pasternt 
46, Small Pasterns. 47, Coffin. 4 S, Navicular. 49, Thigh, to, Knee-Pan. Si, Tibia I2 Pomt of Hork 
S3, Small Bones of the Hock. 54, Metatarsal. s& Pasterns ana Feet. S ' S ' HoCk> 




Sketch of the Ox. 

» T&JS™* 'Rrick^^ ft Forehead and Face 4, Eye. S , Horn and Ear. 6, Neck and Throat 
7, Breast. 8, Brisket 9, Shoulder -Point 10, Shoulder. 11, Fore- Arm. 12, Crops. 13, Fore-Ribs. 14. 
™A%Z lank - ^Back. 16, Back-Ribs. 17, Belly. iS, Loins. 19, Flank. 20, Hi P p. 2., Rump. 22 Tail 
brel ?Lef.' 29, Hoof. H ' S ^ (between the Thighs). 26, Testes. 27,' Knee and Gam- 

232 



PART II. 

THE OX AND HIS DISEASES.* 



CHAPTER I. 

THE NERVOUS SYSTEM. 

MAD STAGGERS AND BRAIN FEVER. 

'-;' ^ : -'Sfe, AD staggers and brain fever are quite frequent among cattle, and 
rlflfnl come on rapidly from exposure to a hot sun or sudden change of 
J I tip (/bjl temperature; or may follow ill-usage, high feeding, excess of 
^rtfcnF^ blood, over-driving, or a blow on the Uo ad. 

Symptoms. — Mad Staggers are marked by leaving flanks; wild, red,, 
staring eyes; nostrils enlarged; furious delirium and frenzy; (the animal is 
unconscious, while in rabies it is not so — a distinction that should be care- 
fully noted); animal exhausted, and finally motionless. In Brain Fever,. 
the general symptoms of mad staggers are present, and in addition a marked 
aversion to red bodies during the frenzy; frightful bellowing; incessant and 
furious galloping; arched tail; the skin adheres closely to the flesh; spine and 
adjacent parts very tender; the animal falls headlong, and lies in a stupor;. 
from the first, vivid redness and prominence of the eyes; dullness and 
drowsiness; thick, heavy, difficult breathing. 

Treatment. — Give aconite for fever; delirium; red eyes; dry, hot 
skin. For great heat and swelling of the head, blood-shot eyes, delirium 
and frenzy, thirst, sensitiveness to light and noise, wild expression, give 
belladonna, which is also usually serviceable in the beginning, in alternation 
with aconite at intervals of from one to three hours according to the 
severity. For stupor, sudden starts, and involuntary passages of dung, give 
hyoscyamus. Bryonia is needed for stupor with delirium. Opium is demanded 

* See " Signs of Health and Disease," Chapter I, Part I. 

233 



234 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

by stupor with giddiness, half-closed, glassy eyes, constipation, and slow, 
feeble pulse. Give arnica externally and internally once in an hour, or 
oftener in extreme cases, if the cause is some external injury. 

Gelseminum, a wine-glassful of a mixture of twenty drops of tincture 
in a pint of water, given every two hours, is valuable in cases resulting from 
exposure to the sun, with weakness of the muscles and enlarged pupils 
of the eyes. 

For further information, consult this disorder in the Horse. Keep the 
animal perfectly quiet. When the violence of the symptoms subsides, give 
soft food that is easily digested and readily taken. 

APOPLEXY. 

Apoplexy has causes similar to those of Brain Fever, but is much more 
rapid in its attack. For s}^mptoms, treatment, and general care, consult the 
article on Brain Fever above, and on Apoplexy in the Horse. 

PARALYSIS. 

This is a loss of nervous power in the muscles, and may affect one 
muscle or many. It occurs mainly in old cattle in bleak countries, cold, un- 
healthy stables, or those exposed to cold after warm stabling. 

Symptoms. — Legs, generally the hind ones, cold and weak, then stiff, 
dragging and resting on the pasterns; then the animal becomes unable to 
•stand and sits on its haunches. 

Treatment. — Keep the animal warm and well supplied with litter; 
change to nourishing food; turn the animal over two or three times a day. 
For further information, consult Paralysis in the Horse. 

- HYDROPHOBIA. 

Hydrophobia occurs more frequently in the cow than in the horse, 
and results from the bite of a rabid animal. 

Symptoms. — Loud and frequent hollow bellowing; stamping and but- 
ting; sometimes return of the food into the mouth about the third day; the 
secretion of milk diminishes; foaming at the mouth; paralysis; death in from 
four to seven days; consciousness throughout. 

Treatment. — Wash the wound well with warm water and some dis- 
infectant; then burn it with an iron, or apply strong nitric acid. Dress then 
with a strong carbolic acid lotion, or lime-water and oil. Belladonna and 
-stramonium may afterward be used. When the case is fully developed 
.medicine will generally be of little avail. 



THE OX THE NERVOUS SYSTEM. 235 

Tie the animal securely in a close stall, shutting out most of the light 
and much of the air. Give light, nutritious, condensed food. When a 
rabid animal has been in a herd, belladonna should be given daily for ten 
or twelve days to each animal as a protection against possible infection. 
For further information, see the article on Hydrophobia in the Horse. 

LOCK-JAW. 

This may result from some general disorder of the stomach, or from 
injuries (see Lock-jaw in the Horse for detailed causes, noting those to 
which cattle are subject). 

Symptoms. — At first, only some stiffness in the gait, jaws and neck, which 
afterward grows more marked; fixed, inflamed eyes; hind legs stiff; walk- 
ing difficult and awkward; quick and labored breathing, the breath being 
hot; neck and ears very stiff ; finally, the whole body is stiff; copious sweats; 
the general spasm may increase every twelve or twenty-four hours for some 
time, and then slowly abate, become less regular, and finally disappear; or 
may grow more violent until a very severe one results in death. 

Treatment. — For cases occasioned by cold or wet, or depressed gen- 
eral condition, give ten drops of camphor every twenty minutes in the Jirst 
stages until warmth returns to the system. Belladonna is invaluable after 
camphor, given every hour until the jaws become less rigid, when the 
interval between doses should be increased. If constipation be present, 
give nux vomica every four or six hours, or in alternation with belladonna. 
Constipation is further relieved by injections of warm water and soap. If 
inflammation occurs, give a few doses of aconite, following with the 
remedy next demanded by the symptoms mentioned above. If injuries be 
the cause, give arnica, alone or in alternation with belladonna, aconite or 
nux vomica, every one, two, three or four hours, according to urgency. 
Between the paroxysms, the jaws being relaxed, offer food that is easily 
digested, such as gruel, boiled turnips and oats, mashes of boiled grain and 
bran. Should the animal be unable to eat for some time, clear out the 
bowels by an injection of tepid water, and inject oatmeal-gruel. For 
further equally important information, select such as is obviously applicable 
to the ox from that given on Lock-jaw in the Horse. 

CONVULSIONS.— FITS. 

This disorder, not common in the ox, may occur in young, well-fed 
cattle, especially when excited by over-exertion or heat. When it has 
once occurred, a recurrence is more liable to ensue. 



236 the; veterinary doctor. 

Treatment. — Give belladonna every two or three hours. Opium 
may be serviceable if there be stupor and hard, heavy breathing. Keep 
the animal in a large stable where there is little chance for it to injure itself* 
For full directions, consult all that is said on Convulsions in the Horse. 

GIDDINESS.— DIZZINESS. 

This occurs more frequently in draught-oxen, and is caused by hard; 
labor in a hot sun, or a tight, ill-fitting or squeezing yoke. 

Symptoms. — Tottering and falling, the animal lying outstretched 
and motionless. It may be easily distinguished from Convulsions, for in 
the latter there are violent convulsive movements. For full particulars, 
consult the appropriate article on the Horse as given in Part I. 





CHAPTER II. 
THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS. 

ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY. 

w. HE stomach of the ox, sheep and other ruminants is so peculiar as 
Nt, to call for special mention. It consists of four so-called stomachs. 



The first, known as the rumen, or paunch, is much the largest; its 
^r<) mucous membrane is rough, with elevations or papillas, and is pro- 
tected by a dense, scaly membrane. The second stomach, called the retic- 
ulum, or honey-comb, is the smallest of the four, and is connected with the 




Stomach of the Ox. 
A., Rumen (left half). B, Rumen (right half). C, Lower end of the Oesophagus. D, Reticulum. 
E, Omasum. F, Abomasum. 

front part of the paunch, with which it freely communicates. The third 
stomach is named the omasum, or maniplies, the latter term being derived 
from the many folds of the membranes; its numerous membranes are of 

237 



238 



the; veterinary doctor. 



different sizes, and their surfaces are copiously supplied with papilla}; 
its contents are dry. The fourth stcmach, called the abomasum, or rennet, 
performs substantially the same functions as that of man, is larger than the 
second and third but smaller than the first, is covered with a thick, velvety 
coat that has ridges similar to those of the omasum, and secretes an acid 
that is necessary to digestion. 

The first three stomachs are involved in the process of rumination. 
Crushed food passes first into the rumen, or paunch, and is there heated in 
saliva, mucus and other secretions, its toughness determining the time it is 
to be so retained. The food next enters the reticulum, where the softening 
and dissolving are continued, 
being aided by a slow churning 
movement. Fluids that are 
swallowed pass directly into 
this organ without going to 




Stomach of the Ox, exposing 
parts of the interior. 

fl, GSsophagus. b, Rumen. c, Re- 
ticulum, d, Omasum. e, Abomasum. 
f t Duodenum. 



Section of the Stomach of the Ox. 



A, Left Sac of the Rumen. B, Front extremity of the same 
turned back on the Right Sac, its rear extremity being C. 
G, Section of the front Pillar of the Rumen, eg, Its two upper 
branches. H, Rear Pillar of the same, khft, Its three lower 
branches. I, Cells of the Reticulum. J, Furrow of the 
Oesophagus. K, Oesophagus. L, Abomasum. 



the paunch. In this stomach secretions ferment the food or produce other 
chemical changes, reducing the contents to a pulpy mass. In the next 
place the food passes back to the teeth and is thoroughly masticated, this 
process being known as rumination, or " chewing the cud." The return 
of the food is easily detected, for one may see large masses pass up the 
gullet which is distended as in swallowing, though the movement is in the 
opposite direction. When the food passes into the mouth its liquid parts 
are immediately swallowed into the first three stomachs; and the solid food 



THE OX THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS. 



239 



is slowly ground by the teeth a longer or shorter time according to its 
toughness. When sufficiently ground the food is again swallowed, some 
into the first two stomachs, but the greater part into the third, thence into- 
the fourth where the digestion is completed. Because of the tendency of 
liquids to pass directly into the second Or third stomach there is some dan- 
ger that in administering medicine by drenches or other mechanical means 
the desired results may be defeated, and even damage be incurred. Hence> 
in giving medicine to the ox or sheep it is always best when possible to 
induce the animal to swallow it voluntarily. 

HOOVE.— GRAIN OR CLOVER SICKNESS. 

This is a distension of the stomach caused by decomposition or fer- 
mentation of food, or by eating unusual articles of food. Rich grazing 
after poor or scanty food, wet grass in warm weather, fodder heated by 
being heaped up when wet, drinking cold water excessively, eating too 
much grain, bran, chaff, raw potatoes and oats, or boiled turnips, may 
cause the disorder. 

Symptoms. — These appear soon and suddenly; loss of appetite and 
cud; whole body swollen, especially at the flanks, which give forth a drum- 

( like sound when struck; sour and noisy belchings; moans and distress;. 

, animal stands still; short, difficult breathing; nostrils spread; threatened 
suffocation; the pulse grows harder, fuller and quicker; mouth hot and full 

I of frothy slobber; eyes glazed, fixed, and blood-shot; the tongue hangs;, 
veins of the neck and chest swollen; back arched; legs drawn under the 
body; tail curved; protruding anus; cold sweat; the animal finally totters, 
falls, struggles, discharges sour fluid and solid food from the nose and mouth; 
suffocation or rupture of the stomach, leading to death. 

The distension of the stomach by gas may be distinguished from that 
arising from impacted food by a study of the table here used, which is 
taken from the excellent work of Lord and Rush. 



DISTENSION FROM GAS. 

The left flank, on pressure, feels soft, 
elastic, and yielding to the fingers. On 
percussion, sounds hollow and drum-like. 

Frequent belching; the wind which es- 
capes has an offensive smell. 

Respiration quick, short and puffing. 

Position: Standing; head stretched for- 
ward; unable to move; moans, and appears 
in great distress; eyes red and staring. 



DISTENSION FROM IMPACTED FOOD. 

The left flank, on pressure, feels solid; 
does not yield readily to the fingers on per- 
cussion; on being struck, sounds dull. 

No belching or eructation of wind. 

Respiration not much interfered with. 

Position : Lying down, and is with diffi- 
culty induced to move; looking dull and; 
listless. 



240 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

Treatment. — At first give ammonium causticum, ten drops every ten 
•or fifteen minutes. Colchicum rarely fails, particularly in cases resulting 
from vegetable food. Repeat it several times if necessary. It is valuable, 
in alternation with arsenicum, in chronic hoove. Colocynth is beneficial, 
given every twenty minutes. If the lungs are much implicated, give 
"bryonia in alternation with aconite. For founder from wet clover, a mouth- 
ful or two of corn on the cob is a popular and valuable remedy, often suffi- 
cient without other expedients. When matters have become improved, allow 
no food or water for several hours, and these should be sparing for some 
time afterward. Give nux vomica two or three times daily until the animal 
is fully cured. 

Stabbing or puncturing in very urgent cases may be required, but 
should be resorted to only then. It is best to use a trocar, sufficiently long 
to prevent the paunch from slipping away from it. In the absence of this 
a long, sharp-pointed penknife may be used. At a point midway between 
the ribs and the hips insert the knife, pointing it inward and downward, 
where the rumen is most prominent, insert a quill or other tube into the 
opening at once; or in the absence of such, hold the wound open with a 
smooth stick until the gas has escaped. With this gas solid food may come 
out; and here is the danger, and not in the wound itself. Should this food 
escape into the abdomen instead of passing out freely, it will cause inflam- 
mation of the abdominal organs; or, as another difficulty, the kidneys 
or spleen may be pierced. After such relief, chloride of lime is valuable, 
two drachms being mixed in a quart of water and thus administered. 

GRASS STAGGERS— DRY MURRAIN. 

This results from a retention of food in the third stomach, instead 
of its passage into the fourth stomach. Fine, dry, hard matters become 
tightly compressed in some cases, and so closely adhere to the mucous 
membranes of the folds that their removal causes the loss of the thick 
membrane which lines the organ; in other cases, soft, souring masses are 
inclosed in the folds. In either case, nutrient food is not passed into the 
fourth stomach. Sometimes the folds are gangrenous, and the fourth 
stomach highly inflamed. It is occasionally epidemic, and its causes are 
supposed to be bad or coarse food, and sudden changes of diet. 

Symptoms. — Excitement, perhaps delirium, followed by dullness and 
quietness; hanging head; indifference; dry muzzle; hanging tongue; promi- 
nent red eyes; constipation; red nasal membrane; high-colored urine; rapid, 
hard pulse; stoppage of milk, or it becomes poor; later, trembling; loss of 
consciousness; swollen belly; cold limbs; death. 



THE OX THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS. 241 

Treatment. — For high fever, quick pulse, dry, hot muzzle, very hot 
horns and ears, and varying temperature of limbs, ears and muzzle, give 
aconite. Give nux vomica in alternation with aconite, every three or four 
hours until the fever subsides, then alone three or four times a day. Ar- 
senicum and sulphur will be needed in some cases, particularly when the 
dung is thin, watery and offensive. If the case has been neglected, or is 
symptomatic of another disorder, or has become chronic, it will take a 
good while for the stomach to return to its normal condition. Make a 
complete change in diet and allow only such food as is easily digested. 

ULCERATED MOUTH. 

This is contagious and often attacks a whole herd. 

Symptoms. — Red, hot mouth; diminished appetite and milk, the lat- 
ter being watery; in a few days a small red eruption in the mouth, which 
enlarges to various sizes, becoming white, bursting, and leaving a scab; 
eating stopped; drinking with dribbles. If the tongue, in mild cases, does 
not gradually cleanse, the sores join and become of a leaden color, leaving 
corroding ulcers which carry off small pieces of the membrane; inflamed 
throat; cough; offensive breath; loss of flesh. 

Treatment. — Give mercurius three times daily. If the disease does 
not yield, give one grain of antimonium tartaricum two or three times 
daily. Sulphur may be required if there be dry, hot mouth; offensive 
breath; ulcerations with scabs. Rinse the mouth with Condy's Fluid. 

THRUSH. 

Thrush is an inflammatory fungoid disorder, consisting in minute vesi- 
cles which end in white sloughs in the mouth and discharge a fluid, after 
which they become ulcers that run together; the lining peels off, leaving a 
tender surface that prevents eating. There is a profuse flow of stringy 
j saliva from the mouth and loss of flesh. It is caused by poor food, irritat- 
ing plants, or constitutional disease; in calves, by the mother's milk. These 
svmptoms should be observed carefully, that thrush may not be mistaken 
for Rinderpest. From Foot and Mouth Disease it is known by its not 
being epidemic or contagious, or associated with disease of the feet and 
teats. Thrush usually attacks calves. 

Treatment. — If the tongue or mouth is covered with blisters, and 
stringy saliva flows from the mouth, give mercurius "every four hours until 
the case is improved. In the first stages, the vesicles may be removed by 
washing the mouth three times daily with a solution of chlorate of potassa, 



242 the veterinary doctor. 

tea grains to an ounce 01 water, and as often giving a tablespoonful of a 
mixture of ten drops of kali bichromicum to one pint of water. When 
the worst symptoms have yielded to mercurius or other remedies, and the 
animal remains poor, dull, and with loss of appetite, give three grains of 
arsenicum three times daily. Muriatic acid, phosphoric acid, and borax 
may be found of service. In case of calves, give the mother a clean, com- 
fortable stable, and administer sulphur to her; give the same to the calf, 
night and morning, for a few days after the disease has subsided. 

INFLAMMATION OF THE TONGUE. 

This is caused by some wound, and is indicated by a great swelling of 
the tongue, the latter hanging out of the mouth; feeding is stopped; the 
tongue sometimes becomes hard; perhaps swelling of the throat. 

Treatment. — Give mercurius if there is great swelling of the tongue 
and throat, and aconite if there is much fever. If the inflammation be 
dr} r , give nitric acid. For hardness of the tongue give carbo vegetabilis. 
If the tongue is injured, give arnica, and wash the mouth with a weak lo- 
tion of the same; in these cases arsenicum and lachesis are also serviceable. 

GLOSS ANTHRAX.— BLACK TONGUE.— BLAIN. 

This is connected with some peculiar state of the atmosphere, and is 
highly contagious and usually fatal, being communicable even to man. 

Symptoms. — It is sudden in its attacks. There are profuse saliva, 
swollen tongue, general distress and fever; on the tongue are small vesicles 
full of matter, or tubercles surrounded with a bluish circle; the vesicles 
burst and give out offensive matter; on the tubercles are yellowish-white 
pustules, sometimes the size of a nut, which turn brown; these are filled 
with a thin, corroding fluid, which inflames and destroys the surrounding 
parts; the head and throat swell enormously; breathing obstructed; threat- 
ened or actual suffocation; large ulcers may form on and near the tongue, 
so that it is wholly gangrenous and insensible, gives out no blood when 
cut, and falls away piece by piece. Occasionally ulcers form in the 
feet, discharging offensive matter. A low typhus-condition ensues in severe 
cases, and death occurs with great suffering, shivering, and swelling of the 
belly. 

Treatment. — Take the case in its first stages, or it will probably 
be too late, especially if the vesicles have broken and some of their con-jj 
tents have been swallowed. Mercurius is desirable for whitish pustules; 
canker; ulcerated mouth and tongue; red, offensive discharge, and prof use 



THE OX THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS. 243 

saliva. Give arsenicum, ten drops every three hours, for bleeding from 
the nostrils; threatened gangrene; small, rapid pulse; ofFensiveness in the 
mouth; weakness; diarrhoea; cold extremities; drowsiness. Midway be- 
tween the doses give the mouth a thorough washing with carbolic-acid lo- 
tion. This may be given in alternation with mercurius. Should the 
remedies named fail, put two grains of carbolic acid in*a little water, and 
give the dilution once every two hours. If there be a full, hard pulse, dry, 
hot skin, much thirst, red, swollen eyes, head and mouth, give aconite 
every two hours. If three or four doses effect an improvement, but 
drowsiness, wildness of look, and swelling of the head, tongue and throat 
remain, alternate aconite and belladonna. If no such improvement occurs, 
give bryonia every three or four hours, alone or alternated wi'di rhus. For 
drowsiness, exhaustion, and involuntary or bloody diarrhoea, give phos- 
phoric acid. Opium is needed if there be hot, dry skin, small, rapid pulse, 
drowsiness, and involuntary diarrhoea. Give good gruel in small quanti- 
ties, or other simple, nutritious food, pouring it gently down the throat if 
it is refused (to do which a horn will seldom be required); and leave some 
at hand for the animal to take if it will. Keep the animal away from 
others. 

Caution. — Attendants have been infected with the virus with fatal re- 
sults. Before handling the animal or the objects which it touches, cover 
j the hands with gloves or oil, or both, and take special pains to prevent any 
I sore on the hands or other parts from touching the animal. These cautions 
suggest the necessity of keeping other domestic animals at a safe distance 
from the stall, drinking-trough, dishes, or other articles, and from the past- 
ure in which the infected one has been. 

LOSS OF APPETITE.— LOSS OF CUD. 

If this occurs without other marks of sickness, examine the food to 
see if it is perfectly good, and the mouth to discover disordered teeth, ul- 
cers, injuries, thrush, inflammation, or foreign substances. These are causes, 
] as well as an overloaded stomach, poor digestion, and over-exertion. 

Treatment. — If poor food be the cause, and the animal be weak and 
dull, or if there be diarrhoea, give arsenicum a half-hour before feeding 
night and morning, for a week or two. If there be poor digestion, dry, 
and hard dung and constipation, give nux vomica instead of arsenicum. 
] If there be added to loss of appetite, diarrhoea, cold feet and loss of thirst, 
give pulsatilla. If some disease be the cause, that must be treated first. 
Do not compel a sick animal to eat. Be sure that the food is perfectly 
good. A change of diet will often be sufficient. 



244 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

EXCESSIVE OR DEPRAVED APPETITE. 

Either of these conditions indicates a bad state of the system. The 
animal may eat greedily, and even take uncommon food, but still grows lean. 

Treatment. — Give pulsatilla every few hours for four or five days; 
sepia and nux vomica will also be of service. Cina is needed if worms are 
the cause. Give cold water and good fresh food, not in excessive quantities- 

INDIGESTION. 

Indigestion results from greedy eating after a long fast; poor or irreg- 
ular food ; abrupt transitions from dry to green feed, or from green to dry ' 7 
insufficient feeding; impure water; pasturing in fields wet with dew; in 
calves, excess of improper food, such as bran and water, when weaned 
too soon. 

Symptoms — Loss of appetite, cud, and (in cows) of the milk ; aver- 
sion to food; belching; foul, coated tongue; colic; hard and infrequent 
passages of dung; sometimes diarrhoea. 

TREATMENT.^Aconite and nux vomica are needed for quick pulse, 
hot horns and ears, and variable temperature of the limbs, given alter- 
nately every three or four hours. For distended paunch give ammonium 
causticum. For much debility and diarrhoea use arsenicum; in some cases 
it is better to alternate it with china, especially if diarrhoea has stopped. 
If the cud is lost, the dung soft and offensive, and the animal coughs and 
moans, give pulsatilla. Feed bran and boiled oats, and if hay is given, it 
is better to soften it in hot water, allowing the animal to drink the remain- 
ing fluid. Give calves rye bran, or boiled wheat, not leaving any to sour. 

INFLAMMATION OF THE STOMACH.— GASTRITIS. 

Inflammation of the stomach is a disorder of the lining membrane of 
the fourth stomach (see page 736), generally involving the duodenum, and 
usually accompanying inflammation of the bowels. It is frequently fatal. 
For its causes, read those given under Inflammation of the Bowels. 

Symptoms. — Dejection; scraping the ground with the fore feet; strik- 
ing the belly with the hind feet; groans; lowings; grinding teeth; red 
eyes; looking at the flanks; cold feet, ears and horns; dry muzzle; belly 
swollen and tender; vomiting; diarrhoea; milk thin, yellowish, stringy and 
irritating, or wholly stopped, sometimes reddish and offensive; spasm and 
colic, sometimes creating frenzy; loss of appetite and cud; tongue con- 
tracted, straighter and rounder than usual, occasionally yellow or green. 



THE OX THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS. 245 

Treatment. — In the first place give aconite every thirty or sixty 
minutes if the pain is severe; the extremities very hot and cold alternately; 
the pulse full and quick; the hody tender. It should be continued at 
longer intervals if the animal improves under it. Next give bryonia; it 
may be alternated with aconite if there be intense pain in the beily and 
costiveness. For heavy breathing, grunting, constipation, dejection and 
pains, give nux vomica. Antimonium crudum is desirable for white or 
yellowish tongue. For much vomiting ipecac is needed. Give belladonna 
and hyoscyamus in alternation every two or three hours for delirium and loss 
of consciousness. Opium is needed for great stupor, and when other medi- 
cines fail. For cold extremities and rapid decline of strength give arseni- 
cum and veratrum in alternation every two or three hours. No solid food 
should be allowed until improvement has commenced. Before that, give 
small quantities of fluid food, as oatmeal or flour gruel and water. 

WOOD-EVIL.— RED-WATER.— MOOR-ILL. 

Moor-ill is an inflammation of the fourth stomach (see page 736), 
frequently involving the lungs, and attended with fullness of the mani- 
plies. It is caused by marshy pasturage, frozen roots and herbs, bad winter 
food, and buds of trees eaten in spring after long feeding on dry winter 
fodder. 

Symptoms. — Dejection; fever; stumbling with hind feet; hot surface 
and breath; quick, hard pulse; staring coat; dry nose and mouth; constant 
thirst; eyes and nostrils red; hide-bound; chewing of cud rare and slow; 
scanty, bloody, dry and black dung; scanty, high-colored, bloody and 
strong-smelling urine; offensive milk; depraved appetite, sticks, bones, and 
the like being taken into the mouth; loss of flesh; weak, trembling loins; 
heaving flanks; moans; internal pains; the animal remains still; chest and 
shoulders stiff; marks of congestion of the brain; sometimes diarrhoea, the 
dung being offensive, bloody and blackish; inability to rise; general cold- 
ness; gangrene; death. 

Treatment. — Give aconite at the commencement, every two, three, 
or four hours, according to the urgency of the fever-symptoms. Give mer- 
curius for offensive, bloody dung. If the discharges are made with violent 
straining, give mercurius corrosivus. When improvement sets in, give sul- 
phur to complete the cure. For other remedies with their symptoms, and 
for the diet, consult the treatment of Indigestion and Grass Staggers. 
With a view to prevention, improve the drainage of the field, avoid damp 
pastures in the spring until a good growth is afforded, and discard hay which 
lias hurtful plants in it. 



246 



THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 



INFLAMMATION OF THE BOWELS.— ENTERITIS. 

Inflammation of the bowels is an inflamed condition of some or all of 
the parts of the intestines, which sometimes appears to be epidemic, and is 
most prevalent in hot weather. Among its causes are too stimulating or 
rich diet, especially after poor food; unwholesome plants; spoiled food; 
colds; drinking cold water when the animal is heated; injuries to the belly; 
worms in the bowels; badly -treated colic; injuries from the rolling incident 
to colic. 

Symptoms. — Dullness; shivering; pulse quickened, hard, and small, 
growing more feeble; staring coat; belly swollen on the left side; dry 
muzzle; hot mouth; great thirst; tenderness about the flanks and stomach; 
red, prominent eyes; painful moaning; cud suspended; intense pain, with 
indisposition to move; obstinate constipation; dung disgusting, passed with 
straining, and covered with mucus or blood, but usually in small, watery 
quantities; urine very scanty, with frequent attempts to discharge it; heav- 
ing flanks; pawing and kicking; head stretched forward; ears and roots of 
the horns hot; dry, hot mouth, in later stages filled with frothy saliva; 
rapid decline of strength; trembling, tottering hind quarters; loss of motion; 
convulsions; grinding teeth; tongue covered with thick, yellowish mucus; 
sometimes putrid, bloody discharges from the mouth and nose; death, often 
in violent convulsions. If in a few days the pain suddenly ceases, mortifi- 
cation has commenced and death soon ensues. 

It is important to distinguish Enteritis from Colic, and in doing this 
the reader will be materially aided by an examination of the appended 
parallel tables of symptoms. 



Enteritis. 

The disorder generally comes on gradu- 
ally. 

The pain is incessant and increases. 

The pain is aggravated by friction and 
movement. 

Weakness is very characteristic. 



Colic 

The attack is sudden. 

The pain is intermittent. 

The pain is relieved by friction and mo- 
tion. 

Weakness is not a characteristic till near 
the end of the disorder. 



Treatment. — The first and chief remedy is aconite, three or four times 
an hour for a short time, and once every three or four hours after improvement 
begins until the cure is completed. For intense suffering, nearly impercep- 
tible pulse, cold mouth, and decline of the constitution, give arsenicum every 
half-hour for a few doses; or alternate it with aconite as often. In cases 



THE OX — THE DIGESTIVE ORGAN'S. 247 

resulting from a heated animal drinking cold water, arsenicum is called for 
by weakness, low pulse, restlessness, cold mouth, diarrhoea, and cold legs. 
.Should the use of aconite at the beginning- give only partial relief, and the 
symptoms calling for arsenicum are not present, except that of intense pain, 
give bryonia. For constipation, or dung passed only with much effort, and 
but a few drops of urine resulting from frequent attempts to pass it, give 
mix vomica every half-hour for a few times, then less often when relieved. 
For disorders of the urine cantharis may sometimes be given; and ipecac, 
Pulsatilla, or veratrum album for diarrhoea. 

General Care. — Cloths soaked in hot water and bound closely with 
belts on the body, but not too tightly, accompanied with hot-water drenches 
or injections, will prove valuable aids; but the water must not be scalding- 
hot. The local application, with aconite given as directed above, is the 
best treatment in the early stages. After the local applications, rub the 
animal and cover it with dry cloths. Linseed-tea or oatmeal-gruel is the 
best diet. For other suggestions of value, refer to Inflammation of the 
Bowels in the Horse. 

COLIC. 

Colic is very frequent among cattle. It consists in severe pains in the 
bowels, which are liable to lead to inflammation of the digestive organs. 
Its main causes are sudden changes from grass to dry food, or from dry' to 
green food; sudden exposure to draughts, or drinking cold water when the 
animal is heated; too much green food, especially if the animal be heated; 
poor grain; frosty grass; grass fermented after being cut; excessive eating 
by greedy animals; worms in the bowels. Sometimes the cause can not be 
determined. 

Symptoms. — -The animal refuses food, paws, kicks itself, looks at its 
side, lies down and rises frequently; sometimes falls instantaneously and 
heavily, rolls over, lies on the back with the legs stretched upward; feet, 
ears and horns alternately • hot and cold; constipation; thirst; swollen 
paunch; acute pain. If the disease grows worse, inflammation of the bowels 
sets in. (Compare the parallel tables of symptoms given under Inflamma- 
tion of the Bowels.) 

Treatment. — Ammonium causticum, given every half-hour, may be 
the only remedy required, especially if it be given at the beginning. Aconite 
should be given for extreme fever and restlessness, with frequent but fruit- 
less attempts to urinate. If a dose be given as soon as the attack comes on, 
and repeated four times an hour until the symptoms subside, then less often, 
it will usually be sufficient. Should the case be no better after a few doses 



248 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

of aconite, and there. be purging, great prostration, and other violent indi- 
cations, give arsenicum three times an hour. Nux vomica is valuable, es- 
pecially when a change of diet is the cause, for colic with constipation; dis- 
charges of small, brownish balls of dung, with mucus; attempts to urinate 
ineffectual, or only producing slight results. Give a dose two or three times 
an hour. Colocynth is desirable for severe pain from green food, and belly 
puffed out with gas. Injections of tepid water, renewed as often as they 
are expelled from the rectum, are valuable aids. Keep the animal from 
falling heavily, to prevent rupture of internal organs. Lead him about 
and, if he threatens to so fall, whip him or otherwise forcibly drive him. 
When at rest, keep a large supply of straw under him. After the disor- 
der has subsided, give sparingly of easily-digested food until the system is 
fully restored. Other suggestions will be found by referring to the subject 
of Colic in the Horse. 

DYSENTERY. 

Dysentery, or inflammation of the membrane of the large intestine, re- 
sults from a variety .of causes, such as damp, rank grass; marshy pastures; 
sudden changes of weather; impure water, especially when a heated animal 
drinks it; other diseases. 

Symptoms. — Sometimes diarrhoea or colic first appears; sometimes 
purging is sudden, severe and constant, with straining; griping; bloody 
dung; protrusion of the intestine, which appears hot and swollen; fever; 
tenderness of the belly and loins; violent straining; loss of appetite and 
flesh; skin and hair rough, dry and harsh; milk stopped; sometimes con- 
stipation first appears, the dung being dry, hard, scanty and knotty. When 
inflammation sets in, the dung is discharged more suddenly and violently in 
spurts, becoming stringy and sticky and forming crusts on the hind parts, 
and this form sometimes assumes a chronic character, with more or less 
appearance of occasional recovery. Still later, blood is mixed with the 
dung, the latter soon becoming exceedingly offensive; glandular swellings 
form at the jaws; cold sweats ensue, the anus is ulcerated, the teeth are 
loose, and the eyes are glassy and filmy. 

Treatment. — Mercurius corrosivus is needed for violent straining and 
discharges of blood, or of blood and mucus. When there are pains and a 
swollen belly, colocynth may be given. Mild cases resemble diarrhoea so 
much that they should receive the same treatment. (See Diarrhoea.) Se- 
vere cases resemble Typhus Fever (which consult). For other informa- 
tion, see Dysentery in the Horse. A little mutton-broth mixed in mashes 
will be found of much service. 



THE OX THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS. 249 

DIARRHOEA. 

This is caused by improper food; foul water; drinking cold, strange 
water; damp and cold weather; drinking just after eating; weakened con- 
stitution; other diseases; in sucking calves, the milk of the mother when 
she has been improperly fed or overheated. 

Symptoms. — Dung loose, becoming liquid, and spurted some distance; 
pain; loss of appetite, flesh and spirits; offensive dung. 

Treatment. — Should the case be mild and not attended with pain, 
the spirits, flesh and appetite little affected, and the dung not offensive, it 
need cause no alarm, as nature is probably removing an unhealthy condition. 
When the case is violent or long-continued, remedies are necessary. When 
cold is the cause, or in recent cases with shivering, give fifteen to tvventv 
■drops of camphor three or four times a day in a little cold flour-gruel. 
Before putting it into the gruel, mix it in just enough spirits of wine and 
water (not pure water) to hold it in solution, without " settlings." If the 
dung be mixed with mucus and passed without griping pains, or when it 
is frothy, dark and slimy, or when the rectum protrudes, mercurius is needed. 
If the purging arises from drinking cold water, from exposure to sudden 
changes of temperature, or from impure water, and is attended with chills, 
"bryonia will be found efficacious. Arsenicum is demanded by great pain in 
the bowels; watery, slimy, greenish or brownish dung; weakness; loss of 
flesh and appetite; especially in cases caused by unsuitable food or cold 
drinks. It may be given in alternation with mercurius for symptoms indi- 
cating that remedy. Phosphorus, in doses of four or five drops, is excellent. 
Sulphurif acid is good for chronic forms, two or three drops of the concen- 
trated acid being given in a half-pint of water two or three times daily. 
Veratrum is good for both ordinary and chronic forms. Pulsatilla is in- 
valuable for calves affected by the milk. Sulphur in one-grain doses 
should be given occasionally after recovery occurs. Give only soft, boiled 
food, as gruels of flour or oatmeal, and other like articles. 

CONSTIPATION.— COSTIVENESS. 

Constipation generally results from some other disorder, but may exist 
alone, and be caused by cold or irregular feeding. The bowels are bound, 
and what dung passes is dry and hard; the appetite is impaired; the animal 
is uneasy, showing signs of belly-ache. 

Treatment. — Give sulphur, alone, or in alternation with aconite. 
Allow only soft, boiled food. For other suggestions consult the section on 
Indigestion; also that on Constipation in the Horse. 



250 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

MARASMUS. 

Marasmus is a tuberculous growth in the intestines which destroys 
their structure. It occasionally occurs in calve?. It is usually caused by- 
some chronic disease. 

Symptoms. — Weakness; wasting away, though the animal may rumi- 
nate and may eat heartily, even voraciously; the skin sticks to the ribs; the 
hair loses its luster; diarrhoea, with foul dung. 

Treatment. — Give arsenicum and china, separately or in alternation. 
Silicea, calcarea carbonica, phosphorus and hydrastis are all good. Sul- 
phur should be given to complete a cure when it has commenced. 

INFLAMMATION OF THE LIVER. 

Though this disorder is not very common, it is found in animals that 
are stall-fed on high food and deprived of adequate exercise, and occurs 
mainly in winter. 

Symptoms. — In the acute form there will be considerable fever; quick 
pulse; increased heat of the body; eyes, tongue, mouth, nose and teats 
vellow; dry muzzle; hot mouth; ears and horns alternately cold and hot; 
belly swollen and tender, particularly on the right side; constipation or 
violent purging; urine deep yellow; milk bitter and yellowish, or lessened,, 
ropy and salty; general functions feeble. This form lasts about two weeks.. 
In the chronic form the fever is weak or absent; the dung is scanty, hard 
and clay-like; the milk separates into watery and cheesy elements; there is 
a very marked and general yellowish hue in the skin ; there is a loss of flesh,, 
strength and spirits; the animal is hide-bound; great distress comes on, and 
may be followed by death. This form may last several months. Compare 
the symptoms of Jaundice below. 

Treatment. — Mercurius is needed for yellow tint; dung offensive,, 
hard, whitish or yellowish; or fluid dung. For costiveness with severe pain y 
fever, and thickly-coated tongue, give bryonia and mercurius in alternation. 
Nux vomica may be given with bryonia for constipation and high-colored 
urine. In chronic cases lycopodium is serviceable. Give juicy, nutritious food. 

JAUNDICE. 

Jaundice arises from a morbid state of the liver, as hardening or inflam-- 
mation, from gall-stones, or other obstruction to the passage of the gall to 
the gall-bladder. It is liable to confusion with Inflammation of the Liver,, 
which is mentioned above. 



THE OX THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS. 251 

Symptoms. — These vary according to the severity of the case, and the 
successive stages, but some or all of the following will occur: — Poor appe- 
tite; thinness; quick breath; tender side; cud chewed imperfectly; mem- 
branes of the mouth, nose and eyes yellow; tongue lined with sticky mucus; 
diminished milk, which is bitter and yellowish; yellow skin, urine and dung; 
hot skin and other fever-symptoms; scaly, mangy eruptions {not sce?i i?t 
inflammation of the liver.} 

Treatment. — Give mercurius every three or four hours, especially 
for yellowness of the eyes, skin, urine and milk, and for excessive purging; 
or if the dung be whitish. Podophyllin should be substituted for mercu- 
rius if that remedy fails or has been given in undue quantities for any pur- 
pose. Arsenicum is to be administered for loss of appetite and cud, scanty 
urine, and great prostration. For marked constipation give bryonia and 
mix vomica in alternation every three hours. To complete the cure and 
restore the system, sulphur will be invaluable. The food should be juicy 
and nutritious, consisting of cut carrots, potatoes, turnips, and the like. Past- 
ures which contain dandelion are efficacious, and the young and tender grass 
of spring-time will sometimes be sufficient at that season of the year. 
Keep the bowels in a moderately lax condition. Further directions will be 
found in the treatment of Jaundice in the Horse. 

INFLAMMATION OF THE SPLEEN. 

This occasionally affects oxen, bringing on death in three or four days 
from the onset. It is generally a complication of some other disease, but 
may be caused by over-work after feeding, the cud not being sufficiently 
chewed. It is especially common in damp, cold weather, though some- 
times in very dry conditions. 

Symptoms. — Pain in the belly; tender flanks; swelling on the side 
and flank (less however than that in Hoove, coming on less rapidly, and 
giving a deep, heavy sound when struck, instead of a clear, hollow one, as- 
in Hoove); loss of appetite and cud; dry, rough muzzle; fixed look; low 
moans; extended head; difficult gait; pulse at first full and hard, then soft 
and very small. 

Treatment. — Give bryonia for fever, thirst, constipation, and brown 
tongue, either alone or, if there be nervousness and deep, shaking breath- 
ing, in alternation with aconite. China is good for hardness and swelling 
in the parts about the liver. If the region of the spleen is tender and the 
animal often looks toward it, give nux vomica. If the disease becomes 
chronic, give one or two doses daily of ferrum or sulphur. Mild, nutritious 
food is necessary. 



252 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

PERITONITIS. 

Peritonitis is an inflammation of the membrane which envelops the ab- 
dominal vitals, and generally ends fatally in about a week. It is similar 
to Inflammation of the Bowels, and the reader is referred to that disease for 
important suggestions. It is caused by injuries to the walls of the abdo- 
men, castration, surgical operations, sudden cold, and stimulating food after 
calving. 

Symptoms. — Inflammatory fever; tender abdomen; swelling of the 
belly; tightness of the flanks; the animal looks at the sides, seldom lies 
down, and stands with the back bent down and the feet drawn under the 
body; when down, it rolls on the back; hot abdomen; cold hoofs and ears; 
pulse rapid and short; cessation of pain, rapid decline and intermittent 
pulse indicate mortification and imminent death. Dropsy of the belly may 
be the result. 

Treatment. — Adopt the treatment of Peritonitis in the Horse. 

PROTRUSION OR FALL OF THE RECTUM. 

The bowel sometimes protrudes after diarrhoea, dysentery or constipa- 
tion, or may do so independently. 

Treatment. — After gently pushing back the rectum it may be neces- 
sary to secure it by an operation of the surgeon. If a mechanical injury be 
the cause, give arnica, alone or in alternation with aconite. When diarrhoea 
is the origin of the trouble, give arsenicum. For further information when 
diarrhoea or dysentery is the cause, consult the sections devoted to those. 

WORMS. 

Worms of various kinds are found in cattle', and are caused by weak- 
ness of the digestive organs, morbid secretion of mucus, and disordered 
lungs and liver. 

Symptoms. — Colicky pains; poor condition; appetite good, perhaps 
voracious; restlessness, particularly when tbe stomach is empty; fits; coughs; 
worms in the dung, the only certain symptom. Many symptoms of other 
diseases are supposed to be caused by worms, while the worms may in- 
crease merely by the existence of such symptoms. 

Treatment. — Give sound, nutritious food, administer cina night and 
morning for a few days, an hour before feeding, for varying appetite; tight 
or purging bowels; rough coat; fits; foul breath. If improvement ap- 
pears, continue this remedy. If it fails or only partially relieves, give two- 



THE OX THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS. 



233 



grain doses of the trituration of arsenicum as directed for cina. For tafie- 
zcorm, felix mas is the most effectual, a half-ounce of a decoction being 
given early in the morning and late at night. Rock-salt, a lump being 
placed where the animals can lick it, is recommended as a preventive of 
worms. Consult the section on Worms in the Horse. 

FLUKES.— WORMS IN THE LIVER. 

Worms in the liver or bile-ducts sometimes cause great swelling of the 
liver, and usually prove fatal. They occur mainly in low countries and 
after damp seasons, and may be taken in with the food and developed in the 
liver. 

Symptoms. — Depression; inactivity; red, watery, or yellowish eyes; 
yellowish skin; standing hair; loss of appetite; offensive smell from the 
mouth and nose; white, watery, offensive dung passes irregularly. 

Treatment. — Give mei - curius for the symptoms just named. Ar- 
senicum is good for chronic cases, with diarrhoea, prostration and cold 
limbs. Sulphur is needed to complete a cure, when once it begins. 



PILES, DUST-BALLS, ETC. 

For Piles, Dust-Balls, Hair-Balls, and other disorders of the digestive 
organs which are not treated in this chapter, consult the respective sections 
devoted to these disorders in the Horse. 



.^ia I _"i 



>K 



CHAPTER III. 

THE RESPIRATORY ORGANS. 

COUGH. 

.J|^^jjOUGH is usually a symptom of some disease, but it may exist inde- 
i-isi. pendently. In the former case it is remedied by the removal of the 
disease; in the latter, the treatment below will generally cure it. In 
^ i a healthy condition, cattle often have a cough which is not con- 
strained and causes no inconvenience. The independent cough which de- 
mands treatment is caused by dust; indigestion; some substance in the wind- 
pipe; cold. If it be dull, hollow, worse after drinking, and easily excited, 
the cause is probably lung-disorder, or, if it be severe, it may result from 
■dropsy of the chest. 

Treatment. — Give belladonna in most cases, especially for dry, hack- 
ing or barking cough. Dulcamara is needed for loose cough from a cold. 
For cough attended with diarrhoea, give chamomilla. Ipecac is good for 
.difficult breathing, phlegm, and rattling of the chest. Give arsenicum for 
oppressed breathing, worse on exposure to cold; loss of strength and flesh. 
For long-standing cases, for dry, rough cough, and for that caused by frost, 
give bryonia. Sulphur is suitable for long-continued, obstinate cough. It 
may be alternated with one of the above remedies which has not effected 
the desired result. Of these remedies give a dose three or four times a day 
xin til improvement begins; then once or twice a day. Keep the animal in 
a. place that is comfortable, well ventilated, and free from draughts of air 
and north or east winds. Give only good food, as carrots and linseed-tea. 

COLD.— CATARRH.— CORYZA. 

Common cold or catarrh is caused by exposure to draughts of air, or 
drinking cold water, when the animal is heated; sudden changes of 
weather; cold water applied to the skin of a heated animal, without subse- 
quently drying; cold, wet weather; hot, close, impure and overcrowded 

254 



THE OX — THE RESPIRATORY ORGANS. ZOO 

■stables; causes generally which bring - on bronchitis (which see). It is 
often epidemic. 

Symptoms. — Fever; loss of appetite; dry, husky, wheezing cough 
■and breathing; dry nose, wit>h thin, watery discharge from the nostrils and 
■eyes; sneezing; red, swollen eyes; sometimes thick nasal discharge; low 
spirits. If neglected, cold may end in diseases of the larynx and lungs. 

Treatment. — Camphor is by far the best if used promptly at first, 
being given once a day. For sore throat and thick, offensive nasal dis- 
charge, give mercurius, alone or alternated with belladonna. For consti- 
pation and impaired appetite nux vomica will be invaluable. For short, 
painful breathing, violent coughs, and unwillingness to move, bryonia 
is needed. Arsenicum is to be chosen for cold resulting from a heated ani- 
mal drinking cold water; difficult breathing; swollen legs; loss of appetite; 
much- weakness; purging. When improvement takes place and has ad- 
vanced a considerable time, give sulphur twice daily for a few days. Of 
these remedies, speaking generally, the one selected should be given three 
or four times daily until the symptoms indicating it have abated, then less 
often. If an animal has been subjected to any of the causes of cold, or if a 
cold has just appeared, give three or four doses of camphor, twenty or thirty 
minutes apart, in the first stages, not after inflammation appears. This, 
with proper care, will usually suffice. See Cold in the Horse. 

SORE THROAT. 

Sore throat is an inflammation of the membranes of the back part of 
the mouth, involving the other organs of respiration. It is often epidemic 
in swampy, foggy districts, having causes similar to those of catarrh, though 
it may result from external injuries or irritating food. 

Symptojns. — If the organs involved in swallowing are mainly affected, 
food is wholly refused or it is not well masticated, and is thrown out of the 
mouth; fluids in drinking freely flow from the nose; painful and difficult 
swallowing; saliva first flows from the mouth, then mucus; swollen tongue; 
the cud is suspended; painful and swollen throat; fever. When the 
larynx, glottis and upper part of the windpipe are affected, breathing is 
difficult; frequent dry, hoarse, painful cough, with threatened suffocation; 
painful, hot and swollen throat; full, rapid, hard pulse; great thirst; fluids 
returning through the nose during drinking; head stiffly stretched out; 
hard, dry dung. 

Treatment. — For full pulse, hot breath, dull, heavy eyes, skin once 
hot, then cold, give aconite in the first stages, ten drops to the dose. 
Belladonna is needed for swollen throat; quick, full pulse; hot skin; flow- 



256 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

ing tears; difficult and painful swallowing; stringy saliva; dry cough. It 
will often be of especially good service if alternated with aconite. Mer- 
curius is valuable for sore throat with thick nasal discharge. Arsenicum 
is especially useful for malignant sore throat with offensive breath, prostra- 
tion, and tendency to gangrene, ten drops every two hours until better. 

INFLAMMATION OF THE LUNGS— PNEUMONIA. 

This is an inflamed condition of the lung-tissues. (See Bronchitis and 
Pleurisy.) It is caused by exposure to cold or to damp, cold weather; 
drinking cold water when heated; hard or long driving. It may attend 
bronchitis or pleurisy, and may end in consumption, dropsy of the chest, or 
other serious disorders. It is sometimes epidemic. 

Symptoms. — Shivering; horns, muzzle and ears alternately hot and 
cold; cold limbs; heaving, panting flanks; hanging head; dullness; muzzle 
once dry, again moist; costiveness; hard, black, offensive dung; dry, fre- 
quent cough; mouth and breath hot; loss of appetite and cud; great thirst; 
quickened pulse occasionally, perhaps above sixty to the minute; grinding 
of teeth; groans. Later on, discharges of watery phlegm from the- 
mouth, which grows thick and sticky; loss of milk; sweats; sometimes 
hard, swollen teats; tears profuse; tenderness of the back and crupper; the 
animal seldom lies down. Later still, very difficult breathing; great weak- 
ness; belly tucked up and legs drawn under it; dung more and more liquid 
and offensive; ulcers on the body come and go; offensive discharge from 
the eyes; unconsciousness; pupils of the eyes enlarged and filmy; mem- 
branes of the mouth, nose and throat grow cold ; imminent death. 

Treatment. — Aconite given every three hours at the beginning will 
be effective and often sufficient; if marked improvement should not appear, 
give this in alternation with bryonia as often. Arsenicum is needed for 
great prostration. Sulphur will complete a cure once begun and restore the 
system. If the weather be cold, clothe the animal against damp and cold. 
Give sparingly of such food as bran and boiled oats. Should other diseases 
follow, adopt the treatment given under them. Also consult the section on 
Pneumonia or Inflammation of the Lungs in the Horse. 

CONSUMPTION. 

Consumption is a serious, usually chronic, disorder that is marked by 
tubercles in the lungs, which grow, run together, and form abscesses. It is 
caused by neglect or bad treatment of pneumonia or pleurisy, by cold, chill, 
over-exertion, or a hereditary tendency to the diseases. 



THE OX THE RESPIHATOHV ORGANS. 2<~)7 

Symptoms. — Feeble, hoarse, gurgling, painful cough; impaired diges- 
tion; loss of appetite; irregular cud; loss of flesh, also of hair, mainly on 
the eyebrows. 

Treatment. — Give nitrum and sulphur alternately at the beginning. 
In later stages relief will be given by phosphorus and stannum. Put the 
animal in a comfortable, airy stable, free from north and east winds, apart 
from other animals. Do not hurry, alarm or excite it. Change the litter 
often and keep it dry. Rub and curry the skin frequently. The disease 
may be relieved and the animal's life be prolonged, but it will be unfit 
for milk, beef or breeding. 

BRONCHITIS. 

Bronchitis, or inflammation of the air-tubes leading to the lungs, rare 
in cattle, is caused by neglected or badly-treated cold, by the influences 
which induce a cold (see Cold), and by disordered digestion. 

Symptoms. — Indications of a cold; thick, wheezing breath; exposure to 
cold causes quickened pulse and breathing, with cough and a rattle in the 
windpipe; dull eyes; hot mouth; very rapid loss of flesh; great dread of 
motion; belly tucked up; heaving flanks; the cough is frequent and pain- 
ful; staring coat. 

Treatment. — Give aconite at the beginning for quickened pulse and 
breath, hot mouth, short, frequent cough, and fever-symptoms. Bryonia 
I is needed for quick, difficult breathing, rattle in the windpipe, and frequent 
cough. For rapid loss of flesh and strength, feeble pulse, and restlessness, 
give arsenicum. Belladonna is especially good for violent, short, dry cough- 
ing, red eyes, and wild look. Consult the section on Bronchitis in the Horse. 

WORMS IN THE AIR-TUBES. 

Cattle a year old or less are affected with a disorder which may be 
called a form of bronchitis, since it is an irritation and inflammation of the 
air-tubes, resulting from the presence of silver-colored worms, two or three 
inches in length. It chiefly invades cattle that are kept on low, marshy or 
woody pastures, with little or no water. 

Symptoms. — Cough, at first dry, short and husky; quickened breath- 
ing; distress in the chest; sometimes grunting; nasal discharge; quick 
pulse; dullness; loss of flesh. Later, there will be restlessness; hanging 
ears; distended nostrils; hollow eyes; weakness; death. Sometimes appar- 
ently moderate health is attended by complete loss of flesh. 

Treatment. — Let the animal inhale chloroform at intervals to be 

f 



958 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

regulated by the urgency of the case. If there be doubt as to the existence 
of worms, use the treatment already recommended for Bronchitis. 

PLEURO-PNEUMONIA.— LUNG-MURRAIN. 

By these terms is meant a very serious malarial or contagious disease 
caused by sudden and great changes from heat to cold, or the opposite, 
crowding animals together in dark, damp, poorly- ventilated stables; conta- 
gion ; high or artificial feeding. It is very fatal. 

Symptoms. — In the first stage the attack may be slow, without indi- 
cations of serious results; it may be rapid and quickly fatal; or it tnay begin 
with violent diarrhoea, weakness and loss of flesh. Then there will be an 
occasional short, dry, husky cough; harsh, dry murmur, or confused hum- 
ming in the lungs, instead of the natural moist, silky sound (detected by 
placing the ear to the sides of the chest); milk diminished and yellowish; 
impaired appetite; quick and labored breathing on motion; pulse sometimes 
a little quickened and weaker; dullness; heat or coldness of the body; either 
constipation, purging, or irregular bowels. In the second stage the cough 
is more frequent and painful; thick phlegm in the mouth; grating teeth; 
grunting; loss of appetite, cud and milk; pain on pressure between the ribs; 
pulse quick and feeble; skin hard and tight; dung hard and dry. In the 
third stage, the breathing is much quickened and labored, the breath being 
offensive; pulse quicker, feebler and irregular; horns, legs, and ears cold; 
cold sweats; the legs stand in various unusual positions; great loss of flesh 
and strength; weak cough; urine high-colored; violent purging of watery, 
offensive, blackish, often bloody, dung ; death. 

Treatment. — Give aconite at first, ten drops every hour or two, ac- 
cording to the urgency, for quick, hard pulse, short, painful breathing, dry, 
hot mouth, scanty milk, cold base of the horns, hard dung, and other fever- 
symptoms. Bryonia is often needed after aconite, especially if the latter 
has afforded only partial relief, in which case it should be alternated with it, 
each once in two hours. The s}' p mptoms for bryonia are frequent, painful 
cough, and avoidance of motion. Phosphorus is valuable for enfeebled or 
obscure murmur of the lungs; obstructed breathing; slimy or bloody phlegm 
in the mouth. Prepare it fresh every day. Ammonium causticum is 
indicated by quick, difficult breathing; rough, staring coat; languor; weak 
pulse; frequent cough; shivering or trembling; skin hot and dry, but grow- 
ing moist; great weakness and listlessness. Arsenicum is invaluable for ex- 
treme weakness; grinding of the teeth; loss of appetite; short, wheezing and 
difficult breathing; clammy sweats; small, quick pulse; offensive nasal dis- 
charge; much purging, and for epidemic cases. Sulphur is valuable for 



THE OX THE RESPIRATORY ORGANS. 25 ( J 

aiding :i recovery when once begun, and to prevent a relapse, especially 
■when bronchitis is present, with a pus-like mucus coming from the nose. 
Begin treatment as soon as the first symptoms appear. Separate the animal 
from others at once. Give mashes, oatmeal-gruel, linseed-tea, a small 
quantity of good hay being added after a few days, but feed sparingly, gradu- 
ally increasing as recovery progresses, remembering that a return of the dis- 
ease usually results from too soon overloading the stomach, and is generally 
fatal. Forcing down food, even in drenches, will almost invariably cause 
death. 

This is one of the most fearful and destructive diseases of cattle, and 
too much pains can not be taken to prevent its invasion, and to completely 
isolate all infected animals, so that it may not spread. Its restriction or sup- 
pression is engaging the attention of many able men, and has commanded 
the attention of our state legislatures and national Congress. 

PLEURISY. 

Pleurisy is an inflammation of the membrane which envelops the lungs. 
It is caused by exposure to draughts of wind or frost; a wet bed; blows on 
the side; over-exertion; neglected catarrh; calving followed by exposure. 

Symptoms. — The taking in of the breath is fitful or interrupted, its 
expulsion being full and long; heaving flanks; full, quick pulse; slight 
cough; dullness; lowered head; animal indisposed to move; mouth, ears 
and nose hot; muzzle dry; feet and horns alternately cold and hot; much 
thirst; loss of appetite and cud; urine red; dung dry, blackish and slimy; 
constipation; milk much decreased; shivering; twitching and wave-like 
motions of the skin; very tender sides, chest and spine. In later stages, 
there will be profuse tears; nasal discharge clear and watery, becoming red 
and bloody; pulse feebler and quicker; breathing more troubled; sweats; 
nostrils wide open; finally death. In this disorder the breathing is effected 
by a peculiar movement of the abdomen, while in pneumonia it is still 
done by the ribs; there is more pain on pressing between the ribs than in 
pneumonia. Pleurisy is liable to end in dropsy of the chest. 

Treatment. — Give aconite for quick, full, hard pulse, dry, hot mouth, 
and quickened breathing. If in addition to the symptoms just named there 
be a bloody nasal discharge, short, catching breath, with rattling in the 
windpipe, gruntings, pain on pressing the side, and constipation, give bry- 
onia in alternation with aconite every two or three hours. Arsenicum is re- 
quired in advanced stages for rapid prostration and feeble pulse. When 
improvement has begun sulphur will complete the cure. For other infor- 
mation consult the section on Pleurisy in the Horse. 



CHAPTER IV. 

THE SKIN. 

ERUPTIONS. 

iENERAL eruptions in the form of spots, pustules, scabs, or scales 
jlj K^n may appear on different parts of the body, resulting from insufficient, 
excessive, or poor food ; from constitutional disease ; from unhealthy 
^^L conditions generally. The sudden suppression of eruptions is often 
the cause of serious or fatal derangements of internal organs. 

Treatment. — If disease be the cause, remove it. For independent 
cases, give two grains of sulphur in the morning and as much arsenicum at 
night. Other valuable i - emedies are graphites, silicea, rhus and mercurius. 

CHAPS AND CRACKS. 

Chaps and cracks in the skin are due to walking on mai-shes, to the 
applications of strong medicines, and to internal disease. In the last case, 
the disease should itself be treated. 

Treatment. — In independent cases, that is, without internal disease, 
give arsenicum internally. Sepia will- be valuable if the skin is hard, dry 
and peeling off. Phosphoric acid is needed when the hardened edges of 
the cracks form wi'inkles and ridges. If the pasture is marshy, change it. 

WARTS. 

Warts are tumors of varying size on different parts of the body, which 
need no description. 

Treatment. — Moist, encrusted, chapped warts, of large size and dis- 
gusting appearance, should be painted twice daily with strong tincture of 
thuja, a dilution of the same being given internally night and morning. 
Ulcerated warts are best treated with arsenicum. Small warts on the lips 
call for calcarea carbonica; and those which are painful and bleeding, for 
causticum. After a few doses of either of the above remedies, give sulphur, 
and if it fail resume the former medicine. See Waits in the Horse. 

260 



THE OX THE SKIN. 231 

TUBERCLES. 

Tubercles are small, inactive swellings, caused by rubbing, colds, 
stings, bruises, internal disorder, and tbe like. 

Treatment. — If external violence be the cause, give arnica internally 
and apply externally. For hard, small swellings, give calcarea carbonica, 
followed by sulphur. If an internal disorder be the cause, treat that. 

CYSTS. 

These are inactive tumors of varying size on different parts of the body 
which contain morbid matters of varying color, quality and consistence. 

Treatment. — Continue calcarea carbonica once or twice daily ; if it 
fails, give graphites. For tumor under the jaw and above the throat, give 
mercurius. If pus forms in the cyst, hepar and silicea will be efficacious. 
Sulphur is useful for almost all forms, and may be given occasionally. It 
will also complete a cure once begun. Mercurius-corrosivus lotion may 
be used in old or chronic cases, one part by weight to sixteen of hot water. 

FUNGOUS GROWTHS. 

A fungus is an excrescence due to the rubbing of a rope at the base of 
the horns, or to the yoke, and also may appear on the hoof. Pus sometimes 
forms, and the part affected may become very red. 

Treatment. — If the fungus is very tender upon pressure, apply 
arnica, one part to fifteen of water. If it becomes hard and is not tender, 
apply a lotion of mercurius corrosivus, one part by weight to sixteen of hot 
water. Thuja is needed for a fungus at the base of the horns; sepia for one 
on the hoof; and phosphorus for those that are very red. If a fungus col- 
lects pus, treat it as directed under Abscess on another page. 

SPONGE. 

Sponge is a name given to a spongy growth on the knee, usually 
caused by an injury. It is at first a hot and painful swelling, then a cold, 
hard, inactive tumor, sometimes itching and discharging pus. 

Treatment. — If an external injury be the cause, apply arnica-lotion, 
rubbing it in well three times a day. Should the swelling become hard, 
rub in a lotion of mercurius corrosivus, one part by weight lo sixteen of hot 
water, until the part becomes tender and scurfy, repeating the application in 
about ten days. Mercurius corrosivus internally may be of use. 



262. THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

MILK SCAB.— CRUSTA LACTyEA. 

Crusta lactsea consist in white pustules on the head, chiefly about the 
mouth, nose, eyes and ears, discharging a sticky fluid, becoming dry, and 
leaving bluish-white scabs. Other parts of the body may be somewhat 
affected. It is very contagious but causes no itching; has thicker scabs than 
exist in itch; and is not dangerous, though it produces loss of strength and 
flesh, and diarrhoea. 

Treatment. — Persevere some time, once or twice a day, with either 
calcarea carbonica, rhus, arsenicum, thuja, or sulphur, applying a lotion of 
arsenicum externally; and if the lotion is a failure, rub on thuja occasionally * 

ITCH MANGE. 

This is similar to itch in the human being, and is caused by the pres- 
ence of numerous minute parasites. The predisposing causes are bad 
food, wet weather, filth, close, damp, unclean stables, bad winter care, in- 
deed, whatever puts the animal in poor condition. It is more commonly 
taken by contagion from an infected animal, and may thus be communi- 
cated to the human system. 

Symptoms. — In dry itch, restlessness; scratching; naked or scaled and 
bleeding spots; perhaps ulcers and scabs later, giving out a fluid which 
soon thickens and forms crusts. In moist itch, larger, deeper ulcers, with a 
thin, reddish, irritating fluid and thicker scabs than in dry itch. Marasmus 
or dropsy may ensue (which see). Itch is liable to be attended with lice 
(see Lice). The only absolute proof of itch is the presence of the insect,, 
which may be detected if one will scrape off some of the scurf and ex- 
amine it carefully — with a magnifying glass if his sight is not sharp. 

Treatment. — Make an ointment of one ounce of sulphur and two 
ounces of lard, thoroughly mixed. Rub this on with a clean, large paint- 
brush, being sure to reach every part and wrinkle where the parasites may 
be. If a few remain they defeat a cure. Use this morning and night for 
a day or two. Give internally two grains of sulphur in the morning, and 
as much arsenicum at night. Wash the scaly parts thoroughly with soap 
and tepid water, and then carefully dry with a cloth. Ointments contain- 
ing mercuiy and arsenic are to be avoided. Pastures in which infected 
animals have run should be vacated eight to ten weeks befoi-e they are 
used again, the cloths, brushes and other articles used in the treatment be- 
ing burned or thoroughly boiled, and the stable, gates and posts against 
which they have rubbed being studiously washed with strong carbolic 
acid to prevent a spread of the disorder in the herd. 



TIIK OX — THE SKIN. 263 

GOITRE. 

Goitre is a tumor with enlarged gland on the neck, usually the left 
side, and is sometimes chronic. The animal carries the head outward and 
upward, at times bellows in distress, and has a painful cough. 

Treatment. — Spongia, continued some time, is useful; iodine is also. 
Mercurius and drosera may he required. An occasional lotion of mer- 
curius-corrosivus may be used. As the disorder is due to the properties of 
the drinking-water and the soil — chiefly lime and phosphates — a change of 
water and pasture will afford the surest grounds of hope of a cure. At 
best, protracted treatment will be necessary. 

WORMS IN THE BACK. 

Worms in the back are caused by the gad-fly piercing the skin and 
laying eggs, which hatch, leaving maggots that remain until the next 
summer, before escaping as gad-flies, unless removed by treatment. These 
maggots live on the pus resulting from a tumor which becomes as large as 
a small filbert. They cause pain, irritation, pus-formations, loss of strength, 
and damage to the hide by perforating it. They attack only healthy cattle. 

Treatment. — Through the small opening which will be found in the 
tumor, thrust a small instrument or red-hot needle and thus destroy the 
maggots, carefully searching the whole back for them. The same advan- 
tage may be gained by squeezing the tumor and thus crushing or forcing 
out the worm ; or by frequently washing the tumors with camphorated 
brandy. Give sulphur internally after the above treatment. 

LICE. 

Lice afflict calves and young cattle especially, and are found chiefly 
behind the horns and ears, on the membrane passing down from the throat, 
on the withers, and back of the neck. 

Treatment. — Dress well with olive oil, or with equal parts of water 
(or glycerine) and sulphurous acid. A lotion of carbolic acid is also good. 
If eruptions caused by the lice do not disappear when the insects are re- 
moved, give a few doses of arsenicum. Observe perfect cleanliness and 
destroy the bedding of an infected animal. It will be well to rub all ob- 
jects which the infected animal has touched with carbolic acid. Keep the 
animal in good health and flesh, to ward off lice. Fowls roosting about 
the stable very often impart lice to cattle, and their removal is often 
necessary. 



264 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

STINGS AND BITES OF INSECTS. 

Stings or bites may cause inflammation and pain. Remove the stings 
if they remain in the skin, and foment with diluted arnica or ledum. If 
many insects, as a swarm of bees, have settled on the animal, give arnica 
internally and apply externally. Apis is an excellent general remedy. 

HIDE-BOUND. 

Hide-bound is a condition resulting from disordered digestion, deficient 
or poor food, rough weather, intestinal worms, or chronic disorders of the 
lungs. The skin is hard and adheres to the ribs, the hair being rough. 

Treatment. — Treat the disease which causes the condition. As a 
rule, arse'nicum is best for loss of flesh and strength, poor appetite, and cold 
skin, three doses being given daily for a few days, then twice a day. 

SURFEIT, ERYSIPELAS, ETC. 

For all requisite information upon Surfeit, Erysipelas, Ringworm and 
other disease of the skin not treated in this chapter, refer to the correspond- 
ing ailments of the Horse. 




CHAPTER V. 

THE URINARY AND GENERATIVE ORGANS. 

INFLAMMATION OF THE KIDNEYS. 

INFLAMMATION of the kidneys is often combined with inflamma- 
tion of the intestines or bladder. It is caused by changes of tempera- 
ture, eating unsuitable food or plants, strong medicines, as cantharides in 
<^5" too large doses, and external injuries to the loins. A careful study of its 
symptoms is requisite to distinguish it from other urinary disorders. 

Symptoms. — Scanty urine, passed with pain and difficulty (by which 
this disorder is distinguished from Inflammation of the Bladder, in which 
the urine is passed readily and copiously); urine thin at first, then thick 
and red ; parts near the kidneys very hot and tender on pressure ; back 
arched; legs brought together under the body; hot rectum; dung scanty, 
its passage giving pain; appetite and cud lost; considerable thirst; quick, 
weak pulse. 

Treatment. — When there are much fever and pain, give aconite at 
once in doses of five to ten drops every one or two hours. When such a 
•condition is accompanied with frequent painful urgings to urinate, followed 
by a discharge of small quantities of bloody urine, cantharis should be 
given in alternation with aconite. After the inflammatory symptoms have 
subsided and frequent but almost ineffectual efforts to pass urine continue, 
with obstinate constipation, mix vomica will be quite sufficient. Give small 
quantities of light, nutritious food, and clothe the animal comfortably in cold 
weather. For further directions, see this disorder in the Horse. 

INFLAMMATION OF THE BLADDER. 

Inflammation of the bladder is so similar to that of the kidneys, that 
the reader should here note the symptoms mentioned in the preceding article, 
together with this distinction, that in this disorder of the bladder the animal 
lean's first on one side and then on the other, with the back almost constantly 
arched. 

265 



266 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

Treatment. — Adopt the treatment laid down for Inflammation of the 
Kidneys, adding hyoscyamus to the remedies there named. 

SPASM OF THE BLADDER. 

A spasm of the neck of the bladder is caused by stoppage of sweat;, 
too watery food; cold feet; too long retention of urine. It is indicated by 
great restlessness; unsuccessful efforts to urinate; much suffering; scraping 
with the feet; violent falls. The retention of urine distinguishes the dis- 
order from colic. 

Treatment. — For fever, and scanty, bloody urine, give aconite from 
one to four times an hour, according to the urgency of the case. Similar 
doses of cantharis will afford much relief. See this disorder in the Horse. 

BLOODY URINE. 

Bloody urine more often attacks males than females, and is caused by 
improper or poisonous food, catarrh, injuries from jumping, blows, and the 
like (especially in cows at the time of calving). 

Symptoms. — Loss of appetite; much thirst; cold feet, ears and horns; 
rapid pulse; pain on pressure about the loins; chills; mouth and tongue hot;, 
pulse feeble; passage of dung painful; the urine gradually becomes red, its 
passage in later stages being very distressing and made up of drops only; if 
the bladder and kidneys become much inflamed, the case is hopeless. 

Treatment. — Give cantharis two or three times daily; if it fails, give 
camphor twice a day, ten grains or more with pounded loaf sugar, placed 
dry on the tongue or put in a little water and well shaken. Consult the 
article on the same disease in the Horse. 

BLACK WATER. 

Black water, also called " red water," is caused by neglect, harmful 
vegetation in swampy lands, buds, decayed leaves, insufficient grass and 
water in summer, sudden changes in temperature, diseases of the stomach 
and liver, injuries, and exposure to wet and cold soon after calving. 

Sympto?ns. — At first, dullness, poor appetite, tender loins, unthrifty- 
looking skin; then red urine, or even black, entire loss of appetite, all parts 
of the skin and whites of the eyes yellowish-brown; quick, full pulse; the 
bowels, perhaps very loose at first, become greatly constipated; sunken eyes; 
rapid loss of strength and flesh; violent purging; death, unless treated 
properly. 



THE OX THE URINARY AND GENERATIVE ORGANS. 267 

Treatment. — Fever and diminished milk demand aconite every three 
hours until the fever abates. Give cantharis for scanty, red urine passed with 
pain and straining. For sudden attacks, with shivering, cold extremities,, 
and great difficulty in urinating, give eight drops of camphor every half- 
hour for three or four times. Ipecac is needed if the whites of the eyes are- 
tinged with yellow, and if the breathing is difficult. If injuries be the 
cause, give arnica every half-hour. Pulsatilla is specially valuable for the 
general symptoms. Give such food as mashes, gruels, fresh meadow-grass, 
and linseed-tea, in small quantities. Avoid turnips. Keep the animal from 
winds, allowing exercise in a suitable shed or yard, but avoiding the hot 
sun for several days after an apparent recovery. 

RETENTION OF THE URINE. 

Retention of urine, different from its suppression in Inflammation of the 
Kidneys, has symptoms similar to those of Inflammation of the Bladder 
(which see); the urine is wholly stopped, or passes only in small quantities 
and with much difficulty. 

Treatment. — If the symptoms be severe, give ten drops of nux 
vomica every half-hour or oftener. Cantharis and bryonia are very valuable- 
for the general symptoms. For other remedies see this disorder in the Horse- 

DIABETES. 

Diabetes is a large discharge of sugary urine, at first clear, then 
greenish. It is caused by cold, or by juicy, frozen or frosted food. 

Symptoms. — Excessive urine a-nd thirst; growing weakness; difficult 
passage of urine; continued fever. 

Treatment. — Phosphoric acid is the best remedy, but nux vomica and 
sulphur are useful for the general symptoms. Give water sparingly, a 
little flour-gruel mixed with water being also advisable. Avoid much juicy 
food. See " tests " and full treatment of Diabetes in the Horse. 

STONE IN THE BLADDER. 

Symptoms. — Very scanty urine; stamping; looking at the flanks;: 
switching of the tail; later, bursting of the bladder; appearance of dropsy 
sets in, followed by returning appetite, though death is near. 

Treatment. — Treat the same as Stone or Gravel in the Horse. The 
stones, when once formed, can be successfully removed only by one of 
professional skill, and are often incurable. 



268 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

CALVING AND FLOODING. 

Though calving is purely physiological, it may lead to more or less 
serious consequences if the cow is not properly treated. She should be dry 
for about a month before calving, which will be in about nine months after 
impregnation. This will allow an adequate nourishment for the calf and 
lessen any tendency to milk-fever or inflammation of the udder. If she is 
poor, she should be dry for more than a month. During such a period food 
should be given oftener, but in less quantities. For a few days before calving 
one will notice quick breath, groans, uneasiness, rapid enlargement of the 
udder and dropping of the belly, and a discharge of mucus from the vagina. 
Restlessness increases, the cow often lying down, when pains will come on, 
with the expulsion of the calf. The after-birth generally comes away at 
•once, but may remain several hours and threaten serious results. As a prep- 
aration for delivery, feed sparingly of mashes and hay for a few days, and 
frequently strip the udder if it is swollen and hard. Afford a roomy, well- 
ventilated place, without superfluous litter, but with comfortable bedding. If 
any serious consequences are feared, put adequate covering on the animal 
immediately after delivery. If fever ensues after calving, give aconite. 
Pulsatilla should be administered two or three times a day if the after-birth 
does not come away soon after delivery. If -it remains in spite of the Pul- 
satilla, call a veterinary surgeon to remove it. 

" Flooding " is a term applied to an unusually full discharge of blood 
after delivery. It is caused by a lack of proper contraction of the womb, 
or by injuries sustained in assisting a difficult parturition. If at this time 
there be a violent straining and great flow of blood, give secale every 
three or four hours, and pulsatilla may be alternated with it. If an injury 
has been the cause, give arnica three or four times daily. Keep the cow 
■quiet, with the hind quarters elevated a little. Inject cold water into the 
rectum, and for a short time apply at intervals to the loins some cloths 
soaked in cold water. This will contract the blood-vessels. 

INFLAMMATION OF THE WOMB. 

Inflammation of the womb is caused by difficult labor in calving, and 
by cold. 

Symptoms. — Discharge of mucus and blood; fruitless efforts to pass 
turine; swollen bearings; loss of appetite; cold feet and ears. 

Treatment. — At first bryonia alternated with aconite every two 
to four hours will be beneficial. After the fever, if swelling of the bear- 
ings and straining remain, give sabina. For difficult urination and pain in 






THE OX THE URINARY AND GENERATIVE ORGANS. 209 

the belly, give belladonna, alone or alternated with bryonia. Insure quiet- 
ness and a mild diet and protect the animal against colds. 

FALL OF THE WOMB. 

This is caused by very difficult calving, or the work of an assistant 
during the same. The womb protrudes from the vagina more or less, be- 
ing of a deep-red appearance. 

Treatment. — Treatment should be given at once. Place the hind 
feet a little higher than the fore ones. If the womb has become dry, cold 
or dirty, gently and thoroughly wash it with tepid milk. Wrap the hand 
with a soft cloth soaked in tepid milk and carefully turn the womb back to 
its place, as in turning a glove-finger that has been turned inside out. This 
operation is more safely done by a surgeon, and he may find it necessary to 
use some appliance to prevent further protrusion. If the trouble is caused 
by the cow's efforts to expel the afterbirth, give pulsatilla and sepia. For 
much straining, secale should be given every three or four hours. 

MISCARRIAGE.— ABORTION. 

This occurs between the fifth and eighth months of pregnancy, chiefly 
in over-fed cows. In a given district abortion in one cow may be followed 
by the same in others, and one occurrence is likely to lead to another in 
the same cow in about a year. Its chief causes are bad or frozen food, im- 
pure water and air, confinement in dark, unhealthy stables, violent exertion, 
injuries to the belly, and sexual intercourse during pregnancy; the smell 
from a cow that has recently suffered a miscarriage is liable to induce it in 
others that are pregnant. 

Symptoms. — Threatening symptoms are aversion to food, restlessness 
and anxiety, low spirits, lowing, sudden stoppage of milk, offensive mu- 
cous discharge from the vagina, collapse of the belly and stoppage of the 
motions of the calf in the womb. 

Treatment. — Arnica, repeated according to the urgency of the case, 
will often avert a miscarriage if used immediately when an injury has been 
sustained during pregnancy. After the symptoms have begun, secale is an 
admirable remedy, as it aids the labor. For chills, give arnica every hour 
until they disappear. If strains or over-exertion threaten miscarriage, 
give rhus instead of arnica. Guard against recurrences. After a mis- 
carriage has begun it is useless to try to check it. To prevent it, avoid the 
causes mentioned above, and the cautions given upon Abortion in mares 
on a preceding page. 



270 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

INFLAMMATION OF THE UDDER. 

Inflammation of the udder after calving is caused by exposure to bad 
weather, injuries from lying on the udder, or failure to empty the udder. 
It occurs chiefly after the first calving. 

Symptoms. — Hot, painful, swollen udder, with hard, internal lumps; 
fever; full, rapid pulse; mouth and horns hot; quickened breath; constipa- 
tion. The symptoms afterward become worse, there being loss of cud and 
appetite; abscesses in the lumps, perhaps bursting and discharging blood 
and pus; deep, malignant ulcers; poor and diminished milk; perhaps 
hardening of the udder. 

Treatment. — Give aconite for fever, a few doses at the beginning. 
At the first, bryonia and belladonna in alternation will often effect an im- 
provement. Hepar should be given if the swellings are suppurating. 
Phosphorus and silicea are also valuable, in alternation, for the same symp- 
tom. For chronic enlargement of the udder, rub once or twice daily with 
one drachm of iodine in two ounces of lard. Strip the udder often and 
then bathe it with warm water and soap. 

SORE TEATS. 

The teats become sore from various causes, especially in young cows 
after calving. External injuries, warts and constitutional disorder induce the 
trouble. 

Symptoms. — After calving, tender and inflamed, scaled or cracked 
teats, a bloody discharge mixing with the milk as well as coming from 
the sores; pain in milking; kicking which may grow to a settled habit; 
diminished milk; sore udder; perhaps inflammation of the udder (see last 
-disease above). 

Treatment. — If warts be the cause, pluck or cut them away, and 
dress the wound and sores once or twice daily with a lotion of four grains 
of arsenicum to four ounces of pure boiled or distilled water. If soreness 
results from cracks, apply two or three times daily a preparation composed 
of twenty drops of arnica and one ounce of lard. If injuries be the cause, 
use an arnica-lotion twice a day. Calendula-lotion applied to the sores 
several times daily is a good treatment for sore teats in general. If ulcers 
are forming, aid the process by giving hepar. When the ulcei's break, give 
silicea every four hours to complete the cure. Before making an applica- 
tion, and before milking, cleanse the teats well, and foment them with 
warm water to soften them. A tube gently inserted up the teat at milk- 
ring-time will draw off the milk, avert kicking, and aid the healing. 






THE OX THE URINARY AND GENERATIVE ORGANS. 271 

COW-POX. 

Cow-pox is a pustular eruption on the udder, and is caused by conta- 
gion, and perhaps by bad food and atmospheric influences. 

Symptoms. — Fever; diminished or suppressed milk; appetite less, and 
chewing of the cud stopped; large, round eruptions on the teats, depressed 
or concave at the center, containing at first a thin, serous fluid, which grows 
thick and yellowish, and oozes out; the ulcers being broken, they leave 
deep-seated, malignant ulcers; if thev be not broken, a scab forms, which 
leaves sound skin underneath, when it falls off. (It is an interesting fact that 
the virus of cow-pox, taken from the teats, is that with which the human 
family is inoculated in vaccination as a preventive of small-pox.) 

Another form, known as "spurious cow-pox," is indicated by erup- 
tions of varying size and shape, the top swollen and containing a thick, 
yellowish matter (not concave as noticed above), forming a crust which, if 
not disturbed, will fall off and leave sound skin, but will leave many small, 
ulcerative sores, which are hard to heal if removed in milking or by other 
mechanical agencies. 

Treatment. — One or two doses of sulphur daily will usually suffice. 
If ulceration occurs, give mercurius or hepar. If the sores run together 
and irritate the surface, give arsenicum twice daily. Apply a calendula- 
lotion to the sores. 

GONORRHCEA. 

This is a disease of the mucous membranes of the canals through which 
the urine passes. It occurs in either sex and is caused by excessive sexual 
intercourse, or diseased organs during the intercourse, and by lack of 
cleanliness. 

Symptoms. — In the bull the sheath is red and swollen. In the cow, 
the tail is shaken and moved aside; the bearings swollen, sore and internally 
red. In either sex, there is a constant discharge of matter from the organ, 
with frequent, small and painful discharges of urine. 

Treatment. — Usually aconite will be sufficient if given at the be- 
ginning, when there is much inflammation, with difficulty and pain in 
urinating. Give four or five doses three hours apart. If, after. the signs or 
inflammation have abated, the difficult urination continues, especially if the 
urine be greenish and tinged with blood, give cantharis every three hours, 
or every six hours with aconite midway between the doses. After a few 
doses of the above remedies, especially if much soreness exists, with thick, 
white, greenish or yellowish discharges, give two grains of mercurius three 



272 



THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 



times a day. Iodine is useful, ten drops three times daily. A dilution of 
thirty drops of iodine to one pint of water may be good (for the cow) as 
an injection into the vagina two or three times a day. When recovery be- 
gins, it may be completed and the system restored by giving sulphur once 
or twice a day for a week. Wash the parts often with cold water, and in- 
ject the same into the rectum and vagina. Allow no exercise of the sexual 
instinct until a full and complete cure is effected. 

CASTRATION. 

Castration of calves should take place from the sixth week to the fifth 
month, according to the animal's strength, the weather, and the season. 
The operation in calves is seldom attended with serious results, though 
proper precautions should be taken to prevent undue irritation or inflam- 
mation. Medical treatment is generally unnecessary. For requisite infor- 
mation on the methods of performing the operation the reader should con- 
sult a competent operator. Suitable directions upon the care oi the animal 
after castration, and upon the required treatment of resulting iA" \Vv;?merV5, 
are given in the article on Castration in the Horse. 




CHAPTER VI. 
MISCELLANEOUS DISORDERS AND INJURIES. 

SIMPLE FEVER. 



JlATTLE are particularly subject to a simple type of fever, especially 
of|I|v. when kept on low, marshy lauds. It sometimes develops into a 



IS 

\vly]| typhoid or intermittent form. Its causes are exposure to damp 
S||H and cold, miasma, exhalations from foul water that contains vege- 
table refuse and other influences of the kind. 

Symptoms. — Dullness; languor; thirst; heat of the body and base of 
the horns; quick and hard pulse; refusal of food; heaving of the flanks; 
more than normal pliability of the skin; the nose alternately moist and hot. 

Treatment. — Aconite is needed until the fever abates, a dose every 
four to six hours. If the appetite be poor after the fever subsides, give 
nux vomica two or three times a day. Keep the animal in a clean, roomy, 
well-ventilated place, free from excessive litter. Feed lightly on mild food, 
such as bran and oatmeal. Give a fair amount of cold water. 



INFLAMMATORY FEVER. 

Inflammatory fever often affects cattle in an epidemic form, especially 
those that are young, and is at times attended with great mortality. 

Symptoms. — At first the symptoms of simple fever come on. Then 
the case is generally marked by lameness in one leg, usually a hind one, 
which is swollen; reluctance to move; eyes inflamed and protruding; 
tongue dry; nostrils expanded; muzzle dry; neck extended; breathing- 
quick and labored, with occasional deep breaths; loss of appetite and cud. 
Later, the animal is seemingly unconscious, moans, gasps, stands still or 
staggers; loins tender and painful; swelling on the loins, back, and shoulders, 
which produce a crackling noise if pressed; weakness increases; the ani- 
mal falls; ulcers on different parts of the body; offensive discharges from 
the mouth and nose; dung very offensive, sometimes bloody; urine high- 
colored, bloody and offensive; death within twenty-four hours. 

273 



274 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

Treatment. — Give aconite every hour, or oftener in very severe 
cases. If no improvement is seen, give this in alternation with belladonna. 
When the animal is growing better, increase the time between the doses. 
Though this disease usually ends fatally, these remedies should be given 
while the animal is kept in a comfortable place with plenty of clean, dry 
straw. If it improves, simple food may be given. To prevent the disease, 
do not allow cattle to go too freely upon rich pasture after being poorly fed. 
Impure water must be avoided during the disease, and even pure water 
allowed only in small quantities. 

TYPHUS FEVER. 

This frequently follows inflammatory fever, especially in adult animals, 
and occurs more often on low, marshy, malarial lands. It is sometimes 
epidemic and marked by great fatality. Predisposing causes are want of 
water, excessive work, foul stables, injurious plants, bad food, great heat 
after rains, and stings of insects. 

Symptoms. — Loss of appetite and cud; stupor and staggers; eyes fixed 
but not red; horns, nose and ears rapidly alternate between heat and cold; 
the head hangs, or is carried up, and from side to side; moans; discharges 
of blood from the nose, and sticky saliva from the mouth; the urine is 
strong and high-colored, and the dung is in hard small lumps, or both may 
be stopped; coat rough, dull and staring; skin sometimes bound to the under 
tissues, sometimes separated by air, the hand passed along the back pro- 
ducing a peculiar rattle; cows give little or no milk from the commence- 
ment; ulcerating tumors often appear on the back, belly, limbs, sheath and 
udder; death often ensues very suddenly, though the disease may continue 
three or four days. During improvement, or after an apparent cure, a 
relapse may set in. Tumors may remain after danger is passed, as well as 
stoppage of milk, hardness and scantiness of dung, loss of appetite and 
cud, swelling of the teats, and air under the skin, but these may be 
corrected. 

Treatment. — For full, hard pulse, hot, dry skin, and great thirst, 
give aconite every hour or two for three or four doses. If to these symp- 
toms are added congestion of the head, wild expression, and sensitiveness 
to the light, give aconite and belladonna in alternation every two or three 
hours. If there be great loss of strength, trembling, much thirst, glassy 
eyes, hurried pulse, cold and swollen legs, scanty, or bloody urine, involun- 
tary passages of offensive dung, arsenicum is very valuable; give it every 
hour until improvement is noticed. This alone has effected cures. If 
great drowsiness remains after recovery, opium is needed. If the animal 



THE OX MISCELLANEOUS DISORDERS AND INJURIES. 275 

be furiously delirious, for treatment see Nervous Fever. Feed sparingly 
on light, wholesome food, keep the animal away from others, and before 
healthy cattle are admitted remove all refuse and disinfect the place with 
carbolic acid. 

NERVOUS FEVER. 

Nervous fever is sometimes epidemic and may become very destructive 
by contagion. 

Symptoms, — Dry tongue, mouth and nose; loss of appetite and thirst; 
weakness; convulsions, sometimes violent; the animal totters and falls; 
dung at first dry, but becomes soft; then food passes undigested; foul tongue; 
much disagreeable saliva in the mouth; fever increases at night; delirium. 

Treatment. — In abrupt cases, with decided fever, begin with aconite, 
at intervals of two to four hours. When the fever subsides somewhat 
and great excitability ensues, give belladonna. For furious delirium and 
involuntary passages of dung, alternate belladonna with hyoscyamus, or, if 
the animal be unconscious, with stramonium. When no specific remedy 
is indicated by the symptoms, or after the violent symptoms have subsided, 
leaving reduced muscular power, bryonia is advisable. Muriatic acid is 
required for great debility and dry mouth. For constipation with cold 
extremities, diarrhoea, or weakness after the disease is subdued veratrum 
is useful. Give the animal light, nutritious food, but sparingly, and provide 
a well-ventilated place, free from excitement. 

ANTHRAX.— SPLENIC FEVER. 

The term anthrax applies to a very infectious disease, known by differ- 
ent names, according to the type or stage. It generally occurs in hot 
weather, arising in rich, damp places, especially those in which there are 
much decaying vegetable matter and excessive moisture, as on dried-up 
lakes, ponds or water-courses, or on newly-turned ground where rich pas- 
tures have been. It is caused by any form of contagion which favors the 
transmission of the poison from a diseased to a healthy animal, as by food 
and drink, though it is seldom or never communicated by the air. Animals 
in poor condition put on rich food, or well-fed ones which have insufficient 
exercise, are more liable to its attacks. The virus is most potent in an 
animal that is yet alive or has just died or been killed, though it will remain 
active for many weeks in any weather and atmospheric conditions. It is 
susceptible of transmission to man as well as to any of the domestic animals, 
being more often taken bv- contact of the virus with a break or abrasion of 



276 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

the skin. If the flesh of an infected animal be eaten by man or beast, the 
disease is readily transmitted. We thus see the urgency of care in 
handling animals that are afflicted with it. 

Symptoms. — Perhaps the most notable characteristic of the disease is. 
its rapid progress. It may be of an apoplectic form, the animal suddenly 
fallino - and being soon seized with convulsions, the pulse and breath being 
quickened, the skin turning blue, and death ensuing in an hour or less, in 
some cases before it is learned that the animal is sick. The disease may be 
characterized by external swellings, or not. If so marked, it is sometimes, 
known as blain, gloss-anthrax, black-tongue, black-quarter, bloody murrain 
and the like (which are elsewhere spoken of in separate articles); but these 
types are not now under consideration, the present discussion having refer- 
ence to the form known as splenic fever, so named from the enlargement of 
the spleen, though the carbuncles which occasionally form show its relation 
to the kinds just alluded to. Distinguishing symptoms of this are an alter- 
nation of high and low temperature, this going up to J05 or 1 io° ; purple 
mucous membrane; loss of milk in cows; increased thirst; very rapid pulse; 
then perhaps an interval of apparent health, followed by spasm of the 
muscles of the back and loins, with loss of power of motion in the limbs 
and trunk; violent convulsions, peculiarly affecting the eyes; diminished 
temperature; seeming unconsciousness; mucous and bloody discharges 
from the nose, mouth and rectum; possibly formation of carbuncles during 
the disease on different parts of the body. 

Treatment. — In the most severe cases medicine will be of little avail. 
Give ten drops of aconite every ten or fifteen minutes if the feverish symp- 
toms are marked. For sudden failing and other apoplectic signs, alter- 
nate belladonna with aconite, every fifteen, twenty or thirty minutes, accord- 
ing to the severity of the symptoms. Nux vomica and opium are also good 
when such symptoms are present. Sixty drops of nitro-muriatic acid, two 
drachms of chlorate of potassa, and three grains of bichromate of potassa, a 
dose twice a day, is very highly recommended by a leading author. Some 
of these remedies will often be found helpful, though the rapid progress of 
the scourge does not often admit of successful treatment of the first that 
are attacked in a herd. If carbuncles form, sulphur, arsenicum and mer- 
curius will be found valuable internal remedies, and a wash of dilute car- 
bolic acid should be applied two or three times a day if the carbuncles 
gather and break. 

When an animal is supposed to be infected, give solid, nutritious food, 
provide a comfortable stable that will furnish an abundance of pure air, and 
give ten drops of arsenicum night and morning. Before healthy cattle 
come near the quarters in which the sick have been kept, deeply bury the 



THE OX MISCELLANEOUS DISORDERS AND INJURIES. tl , , 

dead, and thoroughly disinfect the stable or other quarters with carbolic 
acid. The attendant must exercise care about letting any of the discharges 
come in contact with breaks in his skin, or with the mucous membranes. 

MILK-FEVER. 

Milk-fever is a frequent and fatal disease which may occur within a day 
after calving, though there is danger of it until the fourth day has passed. 
It is caused by difficult labor in calving; high stall-feeding; excessive or 
too rich food after calving, insufficient exercise, cold and wet, summer heat, 
over-driving, and bad treatment. One attack predisposes to another. It is 
more likely to attack fat cows that give much milk. 

Sympio7ns. — Listlessness; trembling; great thirst; loss of cud and im- 
paired or lost appetite; breathing and pulse quickened; heaving flanks; 
nose dry and hot, and the horns hot; urine scanty; dung hard and lumpy. 
Later the eyes are bright, staling, of a leaden color or streaked with red; 
eyeballs prominent; breathing difficult, and pulse not so rapid; the cow 
shifts the weight from one hind leg to the other; inclination to lie down 
checked by swollen belly; udder hard and swollen, furnishing no milk, the 
animal totters, falls, rises again and falls, finally with inability to rise; in 
some cases she lies quiet, resting the head on the ground, or turning it to- 
ward her side as if in great pain; eyes dim, wild and fixed; lost sight; in 
other cases she is restless, foams at the mouth, and the paunch is much 
swollen; death in a few hours, or possibly two days. 

Treatment. — At first, if fever is prominent, with quick pulse and 
breathing, and scanty urine and loss of milk be noticed, give five drops of 
aconite every half-hour for four or five doses. After those doses, if there 
be a furious and anxious expression, protruding eyeballs, general restless- 
ness, hot horns, drv. hot nose, and painful swelling of the belly, give aconite 
and belladonna in alternation every two hours, or oftenerif the case be very 
severe. If the disease advances after several doses of the first remed v, 
there being greatly swollen paunch and udder, cold extremities, difficult 
breathing, slow pulse, and intense pain, give twenty drops of ammonium 
causticum in a wineglassful of water every fifteen or twenty minutes until 
the swelling subsides. When the swelling has been reduced and the cow 
is sleepy, insensible to pain, unable to hold the head up from the ground 
when down, and has glassy eyes and open mouth, with loss of power of 
seeing and swallowing, give twenty drops of arsenicum, at intervals of from 
fifteen to sixty minutes according to the severity of the symptoms. Opium 
may be alternated with the arsenicum if the cow is utterlv prostrated, with 
cold surface, glassy eyes, and weak pulse. Give mix vomica three times 



278 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

daily when the cow has partially recovered, but is still unable to rise. After 
apparent recovery a relapse may be averted by giving sulphur several days- 
an hour before the morning feed. To restore the milk give chamomilla. 

Before calving, especially in hot weather, give only very easily digest- 
ible food, and closely watch the cow to detect any symptoms of the disease after 
calving. Upon the appearance of the disease put her in a roomy stall apart 
from other animals, free from excitement, with plenty of fresh air and clean,, 
dry straw. Put her on a level when lying down, the feet being in the 
natural position of a cow lying down, bolstering her with bundles of straw,. 
her head and neck being on a gentle incline. Remove at once all dung that 
is evacuated. Frequently remove the milk from the udder. If the urine 
does not pass, draw it with a catheter two or three times daily. If the cow 
can not shift herself, she must be turned over several times a day, or she 
will grow worse and suffocate. Food must not be forced upon her in any 
form, but if she can swallow, a small quantity of tepid water may be gently 
o-iven now and then. Cold water dashed upon the spine and immediately 
wiped off is of great benefit, though chills and colds must be avoided. 

BLACK QUARTER.— BLOODY MURRAIN. 

Black quarter affects young cattle chiefly, and is quite common. 

Symptoms. — When fully developed, there will be high fever; quick, 
full pulse; outstretched head; hot mouth; quickened breathin'g; loss of ap- 
petite; blood-shot eyes; moaning; lameness, usually in one leg; painful 
swelling about the quarters or joints ; tender back and loins; swellings on the 
back, shoulders and loins; crackling on pressure of the swellings; patches 
of skin hard, dry, and then sloughing, leaving unhealthy sores with an offen- 
sive discharge; mouth and tongue ulcerated; offensive fluid drops from the 
nose and mouth; diarrhoea; exhaustion; death. 

Treatment. — Medicine is generally of little avail, but the following 
remedies may relieve and possibly cure. For the early stages, with quick,, 
heaving breath, expanded nostrils, and dry muzzle, give ammonium caus- 
ticum; mix one part of the strong liquor in seven of water and give ten 
drops of the dilution every half-hour. When local swellings appear, alter- 
nate rhus and belladonna, ten drops every one or two hours. Rhus and 
mercurius in alternation are serviceable for severely ulcerated tongue and 
mouth; free discharge of saliva, or of bloody fluid, given the same as rhus* 
and belladonna. For prostration, purging, pain in the bowels, and bloody fluid 
from the mouth, give arsenicum. Apply carbolic acid, one part of strong 
acid to twenty of .water, to all swellings, sores and ulcers. The patient 
should be isolated from the herd. 



THE OX — MISCELLANEOUS DISORDERS AND INJURIKS. 279 

EUROPEAN RINDERPEST, OR CATTLE PLAGUE. 

This disorder, known also as Russian Cattle Plague, is a contagious 
fever which is communicable to other animals than cattle. It is marked by 
a general congestion of the mucous membranes and an excessive growth of 
the outer layers of the cells of the skin and membranes, with a shedding of 
the latter. It is transmitted onlv by contagion, but very readily in that way. 
Its violent symptoms may occur in a day after its germs have been 
communicated, though it may not become fully established for ten days. 

Symptoms. — -At first, irregular but rather an increased appetite; dull- 
ness; tottering; occasionally the animal bellows, stamps, and is vicious; hang- 
ing head and ears; chewing slow and irregular; upon rising the animal 
yawns, humps the back and draws the feet under the body, but does not 
stretch itself, as is usual in healthy cattle; trembling; bristling hair; eyes 
blood-shot ; eyelids swollen ; husky cough ; dry, scanty dung, and scanty urine, 
both passed with difficulty; the animal is tender; pressure on the loins causes 
dropping of the back. After the third day and as early as the eighth, 
twitching; bristling hair; trembling limbs; the ears hang and are cold or 
hot, as are also the roots of the horns; mouth red and hot inside; gums 
swollen and spongy, sometimes spotted with red; loins more sensitive; skin 
very tight; violent, hollow, convulsive cough; pulse at the jaw weak, rising 
to 90 or 100; dung scanty and hard, sometimes nearly black; urine light- 
colored; wind-pufFs on the back and loins; fever worse in the evening'; in 
cows, the milk is stopped and the udder shriveled; tail extended straight or 
strikes the side; the animal looks at the side; if vigorous, he is violent; if 
feeble, he shakes his head and grinds his teeth. About the tenth day there 
are great weakness and thinness; running eyes, the tears forming a crust; 
white, sticky discharge from the nose; tongue relaxed; loss of cud; dung 
watery, and forcibly discharged; hind parts greatly swollen; breath very 
ofFensive. Four or five days later one will see a gray, corrosive and offen- 
sive discharge from the nose, eyes and mouth; skin of the mouth dried up, 
that of the body peeling off; cold extremities; quickened breath; dung- 
watery and bloody, passing involuntarily and nearly constantly; general 
stupor and loss of feeling; death following three days later; or the symp- 
toms in favorable cases decline daily, recovery not being complete, however, 
for several weeks. 

Treatment. — Give bryonia for heat, or coldness with shivering; 
drowsiness; loss of appetite and strength; constipation; short, difficult 
breathing; loose cough; ofFensive breath. Mercurius is needed for moist 
tongue; heat; thirst; red eyes; discharge from nose and eyes; swollen and 
sore nose; pain in belly; difficult swallowing; discharges from the bowels 



280 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

watery, slimy and bloody, with straining. Arsenicum will be particularly 
good for a mucous, irritating discharge from the nose; alternately hot and 
cold surface; shivering; thirst; depressed spirits and strength; foul breath; 
swollen eyelids; feeble pulse; profuse diarrhoea, with offensive smell; gen- 
eral prostration of vital functions. This may also be tried as a preventive. 
When the lungs are much involved, and there is not the prostration which 
requires arsenicum, give phosphoric acid, alone, or still better, in alternation 
with belladonna. Rhus is needed for red and swollen skin, especially in the 
leo-s; stiffness; itching eruptions, which spread and grow moist; loss of 
power in the limbs; scurfy and grooved skin. 

AMERICAN RINDERPEST, OR TEXAS CATTLE DISEASE. 

This is an exceedingly infectious and contagious disease. It may be 
taken from cattle being with those infected, by contact with their litter and 
dung, or by walking on the same roads, and its virus may remain in a place 
for weeks or months. Cattle have died within four or five days after an 
exposure to the infection, but the time may be longer; indeed, the sickness 
may not show itself for a number of days. 

Symptoms. — A suspicion of the presence of the disease may lead to an 
examination with the thermometer, and the temperature will be found 
to be several degrees above the normal if the disorder exists. The first 
patent symptoms are trembling, disinclination to move, unsteady gait, skin 
alternately hot and cold, drooping head, appetite and thirst apparently 
normal, and the milk diminished in cows. About the fifth day there 
will be noticed shrunken sides; quickened breath; inability to rise or 
stmd; continued efforts to urinate, resulting in small, bloody discharges; 
the dung passes hard and dry, with straining; the milk in cows grows less, 
not stopping wholly, and is of a thick, creamy consistence. Still later there 
w r ill be drooping ears; base of the horns hot; eyes dull and staring; trem- 
bling in the flanks; listlessness; feet braced under the body and the back 
arched; hea'd and ears more drooping than before; dung hard, covered 
with mucus and blood, and passed with effort; perhaps diarrhoea, and 
frequent discharges of dark, bloody urine; increased breathing, pulse and 
temperature; weakness; the animal falls, is unable to rise, and death ensues. 
Calves are seldom attacked, if ever. Milch cows are specially liable to the' 
disease, and abortion is much more apt to occur during the disorder. 

Treatment. — It is not advisable to resort to treatment, the destruc- 
tion of the animal being best. Iodide of potassa and chlorate of potassa 
may be used with advantage, if any treatment is undertaken. Carbolic 
acid surely has some efficacy. The pure article or very strong solution 



THE OX — MISCELLANEOUS DISORDERS AND INJURIES. 281 

may be put in a large open vessel and be held under the nose so the animal 
will inhale it. Small doses of the same acid diluted may be given in- 
ternally, especially in severe cases, and will be very beneficial. At the 
same time the heavy oil of tar should be sprinkled freely about the yard, 
as it contains a large percentage of carbolic acid. Give a low diet of soft 
mashes throughout, and return slowly to the regular fo<$d when recovery 
begins. Insure plenty of outdoor air, salt and water. For other remedies and 
the general care for diseased animals, one may select from those given 
under European Rinderpest, according to the symptoms, though it is 
believed that carbolic acid is the best of all. As a preventive, the heavy 
oil of tar or carbolic acid, copiously sprinkled around the yard or stable, 
will usually prove very beneficial, and such precaution should be taken 
whenever it is thought that cattle have been exposed to the disease. 

This dreadful malady originates chiefly in the district near the Gulf of 
Mexico and is communicated to Northern cattle by herds which are brought 
from those sections. It has been kno\v*n in the North as a very virulent and 
fatal disease from the time that cattle were first brought from those gulf- 
districts. Confusion has often arisen because of the various names by which 
it has been known at different times, as bloody murrain, yellow murrain, 
•dry murrain, distemper, black- water, red- water, American cattle plague or 
rinderpest, gastric, splenic, period, acclimating, Spanish and Texas fever. 
Indeed, many cases of loss by death have been attributed to murrain and 
other disorders when Texas fever has been the real trouble, and this confu- 
sion calls for a special regard to the following considerations: First, infected 
cattle from the South may show no patent signs of the disease and yet 
healthy cattle will become most fatally infected by contact with the yards, 
fields, bedding, cars, troughs, scales, etc., which the diseased cattle have 
visited; second, Northern cattle are carelessly purchased in the markets, in 
warm weather, after thev have been exposed therein to the virus left by the 
Southern cattle, and are then taken to farms for grazing, only to be attacked 
with Texas fever, and then die with what the farmer will mistake for another 
■disease; but, third, while infected Southern cattle will communicate the 
scourge, with most disastrous results, to Northern cattle, the latter, when so 
infected, do not transmit it to others — that is, the virus loses its potency in 
one remove from the Southern cattle. Hence, it is never safe to buy cattle in 
the market for grazing during warm zveather, for one can not be sure that 
thev have not been exposed to the poison of infected animals from the South. 
A hard freeze will render the virus harmless, and any inclosures, roads, 
cars, etc., in which infected Southern cattle have been can not be used with 
impunity until after the following winter. They should, so far as possible, 
be scrupulously closed against other cattle until that time, and it is better to 



282 the; veterinary doctor. 

scatter in them the heavy oil of tar or strong carbolic acid. Though the 
disease generally destroys those which are attacked, we can fortunately pre- 
vent its spread by excluding from our herds the cattle from the districts in 
which it originates. If it does invade Northern cattle, they will not transmit 
it to their mates, and their loss will be the end of the trouble, provided no- 
infected Southern cattle are in the herd. 

RHEUMATISM. 

Rheumatism is caused by wet and changeable weather, by exposure 
to cold when warm, or when weak from some illness, by damp, marshy 
pastures, and the like. 

Symptoms. — The acute form is marked by fever; affected parts hot,. 
painful and swollen; soon lameness; dry skin; constipation; reluctance to 
move and inclination to lie down; diminished appetite; listlessness; some- 
times tremors and adhering skin; lessened or wholly suppressed milk in 
cows. In the chronic form, which is more obstinate, there will be an 
absence of fever; parts affected painful, but not so hot and stiff as in the 
acute type; nearly all parts affected, but mainly the joints, the disorder 
shifting around. 

Treatment. — Aconite is always best for the first, and is indicated by 
fever, cases resulting from cold, and irregular, jerking pulse, five to ten drops 
every two to four hours being suitable as the dose. Bryonia is needed 
after the fever; or, if the fever has not wholly disappeared, give this and 
aconite in alternation, if the swelling (especially in the legs, shoulders and 
sides) is not confined to the joints and is not particularly tender; and if the 
animal lies down, and the pain is worse by slight motion. Arnica is es- 
pecially good for cases resulting from over-exertion; for swelling and pain 
confined mainly to the joints; also for tenderness of the skin. Arsenicum 
is valuable if the feet be tender, and the animal trembling and I'educed in. 
condition; and it is also useful for cold, swollen joints, sweats, alternating 
heat and chilliness, and heart-complications. Gelseminum is invaluable 
for terrible pain; aggravated symptoms at night; loss of the use of the 
affected parts; swellings, shifting from joint to joint; legs affected and 
marked by coldness and paralytic weakness. Rhus is needed if stiffness 
and lameness are more noticeable when the animal begins to move after 
rest. Should the above remedies fail or give only partial relief, give sul- 
phur a few days, returning afterward to the remedy especially indicated;, 
it is also good to prevent a relapse in changeable weather. Give plenty 
of clean, dry straw, in a warm place. Rub ^swollen joints once or twice 
daily- In chronic forms the cattle should never be exposed to cold or 



THE OX — MISCELLANEOUS DISORDERS AND INJURIES. 285 

stormy weather, and if turned out in the day in cold weather, should he 
comfortably stabled when brought in. Give a diet of milk, or milk-and- 
water gruel, with carrots or clover. Refer to the treatment of Rheuma- 
tism in the Horse for local applications and coverings. 

LUMBAGO. 

This is a rheumatism in the muscles of the loins which is caused by 
wet or cold, and attended by lameness, first in one leg and then in another,, 
the animal walking stiffly and painfully, and evincing tenderness in the loins.. 

Treatment. — Treat as under the above article on Rheumatism. 
Keep the animal comfortable, covering the loins~with woolen blankets. 

DROPSY. 

This consists in a collection of water in some part of the body, caused, 
by bad feed, poorly-kept stables, neglected or mismanaged colds or other 
diseases, and like influences. 

Symptoms. — If it be general dropsy, swelling begins at the feet and 
extends to all parts of the body, and, if they be pressed with the fingers., 
the indentation remains a short time. If it be dropsy of the chest, there- 
are feebleness and langour, very difficult breathing, feeble and irregular 
pulse, and fore legs standing apart, the motion of the water being heard 
upon striking the chest. If the abdomen be especially affected, it is dis- 
tended and the motion of the water can be heard, when the animal is lying 
on one side, by striking on the opposite side. Occasionally draught-oxen 
are troubled with dropsy of the legs. In addition to the symptoms just 
named under the special forms, there are generally dry skin; much thirst; 
poor digestion and appetite; scanty urine; paleness of the eyes and inside 
of the mouth; weakness; loss of strength; death in some cases. 

Treatment. — Immediately treat the first symptoms, for the disease 
is often curable only at this stage. Be careful not to mistake the swelling 
which is incident to general dropsy for an improvement in the flesh. For 
remedies and general care refer to the article on dropsy in the Horse. 

FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE. 

This is a contagious fever that is marked by ulcers and vesicles about 
the mouth and hoofs, and may be communicated to man by the milk of affected 
cows. It is epidemic, spreads by contagion, and animals are predisposed to- 
it by poor food and housing, cold and wet, draughts of cold air, filth, and 



284 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

reduced condition. The virus is potent for months and may be communi- 
cated by the clothes of attendants, by food, manure, places trodden by in- 
fected animals, the milk (to calves), and other agencies. Any animal, in- 
cluding dogs, cats, swine and poultry, may be affected by the virus which is 
an the discharges and milk. 

Symptoms. — Chill ; dullness ; stupidity ; eruptions on the hoof, mouth and 
teats; diarrhoea; dim, watery, blood-shot eyes; alternate heat and coldness 
•of horns, ears and nose; arched back; diminished chewing of cud; milk 
■decreased, yellow and thick; udder swollen, hot and tender; hair staring 
and harsh; pulse somewhat quickened; temperature increased, perhaps to 
103 or 104 ; flow of saliva; pain in the mouth, with suppressed eating. 
The vesicles in the mouth are first small and red, then whitish-yellow, as 
large as a bean, and transparent, then filled with a pus-like fluid, bursting 
in about eighteen hours, and leaving sores which may unite and form 
deep, irregular ulcers; the nasal membrane may be affected. The vesicles 
on the feet first appear on the crown of the hoof and in the cleft, soon 
bursting; they cause pain, swellings, lameness or inability to stand, and the 
bones may be diseased and induce serious disorders. The vesicles on the 
teats are similar to those on the mouth, with soreness and swelling, and 
upon drying leave scales. Occasionally vesicles appear in the nostrils and 
on the muzzle, eyes and vagina. In severe cases, high fever ensues, ulcera- 
tion increases, the animal is exhausted, loses flesh, discharges bloody mucus 
from the mouth and offensive matter from the nose; swollen face; foul 
breath; small, rapid pulse; grunting; quick breathing; belly and legs drop- 
sical; diarrhoea; hoofs drop off in pieces; death in nine or ten days. In 
favorable cases, the fever subsides in about four days, and the symptoms 
■decline for a week or two, when the animal recovers. 

In milch cows the case is often complicated by the vesicles bursting 
from pressure in milking, when ulcers form, the cow resists milking and 
holds back the milk, thus promoting inflammation and perhaps hardening 
■of the udder; or parts of the udder may fall away in consequence of in- 
ternal ulcers, making the cow comparatively useless for milk. In such 
cases abortion is frequent. Infected calves usually die from the inflamma- 
tion of the stomach and intestines which supervenes. 

Treatment. — Mercurius should be given for heat, redness, dryness 
.and swelling throughout the mouth; red spots on the mucous membrane of 
the mouth, which become ulcerous, burst, and unite; swollen tongue and 
face; abscesses in other parts; slimy, stringy, blood}', offensive discharge 
from the mouth. It is also useful in aiding the formation of matter and 
reducing hardness. Antimonium tartaricum is serviceable in alternation 
with mercurius. Arsenicum may be given at the beginning for harsh, 



THE OX — MISCELLANEOUS DISORDERS AND INJURIES. 285 

staring' hair, cold legs and ears, and indifference. Dilute Hydrastis is in- 
valuable as an application to the sores, and for soothing and healing the 
mouth. Antimonium muriaticum is often beneficial when applied be- 
tween the parts of the hoofs, if the soreness is excessive. Afford a quiet 
stall; plenty of straw, and fresh air of a moderate temperature; all the 
water that is wanted ; soft food, such as milk, boiled grain, meal and water, 
bran, and mashes. Give only pure water for the drink. Bathe the feet 
occasionally with warm water. If the udder is affected, strip out the milk 
frequently. As a preventive, avoid the infection or contagion, if possible; 
observe absolute cleanliness; disinfect with carbolic acid, chloride of lime 
or sulphurous acid all places where the cattle stay, and even then such 
places should be closed against other animals for a long time. A diseased 
animal should not be removed from its place of sickness for at least two 
weeks after full recovery, and then only after it has been thoroughly treated 
with a wash of carbolic acid. The milk should be buried deeply. Though it 
may do no harm to feed it to the pigs after it has been boiled, it is better to 
bury it. Take great pains to keep the virus out of the bodies of attendants. 
Bury or burn the dead. If other animals are allowed to eat the flesh of 
such patients they will contract the same or a similar disease. 

FOOT-FOUNDER. 

This disorder is marked by inflammatory fever; loss of appetite and 
spirits; dry, hot mouth ; slow and infrequent chewing of the cud; high- 
colored urine; hard dung; poor and scanty milk. It is uncommon among 
cattle. For fuller particulars, see the corresponding disease in tr>e Horse. 

FOOT-ROT. 

This is caused by injuries from blows; gravel between the parts of the 
hoof, as well as thorns and any sharp body; moist soils; long walks on 
rough roads. 

Symptoms. — Sudden lameness; hoof hot, swollen, and tender on 
pressure, especially about the crown; pus forms, if the trouble is not ar- 
rested, passes upward, and escapes from the top of the hoof, the horny 
crust falling off. 

Treatment. — Put the animal on dry, soft litter. If injuries by 
blows or long walks be the cause, apply to the foot a bran-poultice, mix- 
ing in a little arnica-lotion. If pus forms, open the gathering with a lancet 
when it has pointed, and dress with calendula-lotion. If there is an un- 
healthy discharge and slow healing, apply carbolic-acid lotion. 



•386 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

SWOLLEN JOINTS. 

For swollen foot, caused by injury, apply arnica externally and give it 
internally; for that resulting from cold, use dulcamara; for cases arising 
from dropsy, give china and arsenicum ; for that caused by movement, but 
relieved by rest, give rhus; if the sole be hot, use squilla; if the general 
swelling of the foot be hot and rather hard, bryonia; if the swelling 
be near the fetlock, thuja. 

If the thigh be swollen from a bruise, use arnica externally and inter- 
nally; if the swelling is hot and hard, give bryonia; if damp and cold, give 
arsenicum and china, followed by sulphur. 

For swollen knee, caused by a bruise, use arnica internally and exter- 
nally; if the swelling be old and painful, china; if not painful, pulsatilla. 

DISEASE OF THE TAIL. 

Occasionally the hair falls from the tail, matter comes from the end, 
and ulcers form and involve the bone, causing parts of the tail to fall off. 
This is generally fatal, though arsenicum, mercurius and sulphur may be 
•serviceable. Sulphurous-acid lotion may be applied to the diseased parts. 

WATER ON THE BRAIN.— HYDROCEPHALUS. 

Water on the brain of a calf causes enlargement of the head and 
symptoms similar to those of apoplexy (see Apoplexy), except that its 
symptoms are slow and gradual, while those of apoplexy are rapid and 
sudden. Remedies may be selected from those given on Apoplexy in the 
Horse. 

INSECTS IN THE HEAD. 

Symftoms. — Increased heat of the ears and roots of the horns ; dry 
muzzle; quick, small, full pulse; little appetite; absence of the cud; staring 
coat; dullness; seeming lack of consciousness; loss of flesh; pain; listless- 
ness; giddiness; falls; head fixed on one side, or turned from one side to the 
other; unsteady movements; rapid turning around in one place, followed 
by falling, and then a repetition of the same. 

Treatment. — Give belladonna for dullness followed by violent or 
unsteady movements, and cantharis for frequent changes of the body and 
of the head. Graphites maybe useful for listlessness, with drooping head 
.and distressed manner. Yet medical treatment can be of little avail. 



THE OX — MISCELLANEOUS DISORDERS AND INJURIES. 287 

INFLAMMATION OF THE EYES. 

This affection of the eyes is caused by violence from a blow; hritating 
smatter in the eye, as dirt or hay seed; cold; sudden changes of temperature; 
and it may he inherited. 

Symptoms. — Dull, watery, closed eye; corner red or swollen; mem- 
brane attached to the eyeballs streaked with blood-vessels; eyelids hot, 
swollen and tender, afterward glued together; sometimes dilated pupils; tears. 

Treatment. — Cases resulting from violence should be treated with 
doses of arnica and conium ; some cases require an internal and external use of 
euphrasia, with doses of belladonna and cannabis. If the presence of foreign 
matters be the cause, remove them and use arnica and conium internally 
and externally. If a cold causes the disorder, give camphor, bryonia and 
Euphrasia; belladonna is also to be used for scalding tears, enlarged pupils 
and marked redness. If eruptions about the mouth, and swollen tongue and 
throat appear, as they do among young cattle on wet lands, and if slight 
ulcers appear on the front of the eyeball, give sulphur and remove the 
animal to a comfortable stable or shed. If the disease is hereditary, blind- 
ness will most likely result eventually. In these cases the animal enjoys 
apparent recovery at intervals, then suffers as before, though the inflamma- 
tion may shift from one eye to the other, and a cure is at least doubtful. 
Refer to the remarks on Inflammation of the Eye in the Horse. 

ULCERATED OR SWOLLEN EYELIDS. 

These frequently exist independently of inflammation of the eye. 

Treatment. — For ulcers at the edges, mangy skin, and an anxious 
manner, give sulphur or mercurius corrosivus. For dropsical swellings 
which retain the impression of a finger pressed upon them, as in dropsy, 
give arsenicum, with good food. 

Swellings differing from the last in containing gas instead of fluid 
occur among well-fed and fattening cattle, and are best treated with pulsatilla. 

CATARACT. 

A cataract may develop after severe inflammation of the eye, when the 
eyelids are red, sight gradually impaired, and a whitish, brownish, or yel- 
lowish body forms on the pupil. 

Treatment. — The treatment is the same as for Cataract in the Horse. 
An impairment of the sight of the ox does not, however, so materially 
affect his value as it does that of the horse. 



288 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

INFLAMMATION OF THE EAR. 

This derangement is usually caused by the presence of seeds, insects, 
or bits of hay in the ear. 

Symptoms. — The head hangs toward the affected side, the animal fre- 
quently shaking the ear, or rubbing it with the hind foot or against the wall: 
ear swollen, tender, and containing mucus or pus. 

Treatment. — If an insect is in the ear, it will come out upon pour- 
ino- a little sweet oil into the ear; other foreign bodies should be removed; 
then inject into the ear, with a small syringe, a lotion of arnica, one part to 
ten of water. If pus or an abscess has formed, give mercurius, alone or 
alternately with hepar. Belladonna or pulsatilla will usually suffice for 
swelling and tenderness, without threatened ulceration, and for great pain. 
For offensive discharge of pus inject diluted carbolic acid into the ear.. 
Arsenicum may be useful in case an abscess forms. 

CHOKING. 

Choking is easily recognized by feeling the obstruction in the gullet, 
by the difficult breathing, violent attempts to swallow, and the discharge of 
saliva from the mouth. Pi-ompt action is imperative. 

Treatment. — An obstruction near the front part of the gullet may 
be removed by putting the hand, properly protected, into the throat and 
withdrawing it ; but if it be too far down for this, take a strong stick, cane 
or willow, or still better, whalebone, four or five feet long, make it smooth, 
put on the end an egg-shaped bulb (the smaller end being attached to the 
stick), covered with soft leather and firmly fastened with strong strings,, 
passing the string around the stick and back to the hand to prevent the 
bulb from remaining in the gullet if it should chance to slip off. With this 
instrument push the obstruction into the stomach. If the obstruction is 
reasonably soft, it may be crushed by carefully pressing the hands or two 
blocks of wood on its sides. In some cases it may be necessary for a sur- 
geon to open the gullet. The greatest care and gentleness should be exer- 
cised in crushing it or forcing it downward. 

POISONOUS PLANTS. 

Poison from plants may cause suffering and death, though it may not 
be easy to detect the poison unless it is known that the animal has been 
among noxious vegetation. 

Symptoms. — Loss of appetite; numbness; much thirst; grinding teeth; 



THE OX MISCELLANEOUS DISORDERS AND INJURIES. 289 

stamping; the animal strikes the flanks and rolls, as in colic; swelling of 
the abdomen and other parts; sometimes fury, insensibility, paralysis and 
death. 

Treatment. — Empty the stomach with a stomach-pump immediately, 
and force warm water into the paunch until the animal vomits, continuing 
until the stomach is entirely cleansed. Such a pump will usually not be at 
hand, and considerable quantities of olive or linseed oil will often be of ad- 
vantage. Give camphor internally. Then use only the mildest food. 

SWOLLEN BONES. 

The bones may be swollen, very tender, and often attended with ul- 
cerating wounds. The disorder is very difficult to cure. 

Treatment. — Give mercurius corrosivus internally, and apply a lotion 
of the same externally, if the swelling is callous and hard. In chronic cases, 
when pus forms, one or two doses daily of silicea will be very useful, omit- 
ting its use at intervals. Protracted treatment is generally needed. 

BREAKING OF THE HORNS. 

This misfortune is attended with considerable bleeding, which may be 
stopped by fomentations of a lotion of arnica or calendula. If the horn is 
still warm, it may possibly be restored by replacing it at once and fixing it 
with bandages, covered with cloths frequently soaked in one of the lotions 
just named. Give arnica internally when used externally. Follow with 
Symphytum, especially when the bone also is broken. Squilla is another 
useful remedy. Tie the animal so that rubbing the horn is impossible. 

ABSCESSES, SPRAINS, WOUNDS, DISLOCATIONS, ETC. 

Among the miscellaneous diseases and injuries incident to cattle are 
many whose treatment is the same as that for the horse, and the reader is 
referred to their respective articles in Part II. In this number may be men- 
tioned Abscesses, Ulcers, Open Joints, Cuts and other Wounds, Bruises, 
Ruptures, Dislocations, Fractures, Sprains and Strains of various kinds, 
and other forms of Mechanical Injuries. 

CAUTIONS ABOUT DISEASED CATTLE. 

A few words may be said in conclusion upon the liability of disease 
arising from the careless or unscrupulous regard paid to diseased cattle. 



290 



the; veterinary doctor. 



The chief aim in breeding and raising them is the production of beef, milk, 
butter and cheese for the table. On the part of the consumer of these 
staples too much caution can not be taken to patronize only such butchers 
and grocers as are known to be careful and conscientious in the selection of 
what they sell, as this is the only direct means of guarding their tables 
which is at the command of those who do not keep their own cattle. On 
the part of the breeder and raiser there is a sacred obligation to avoid the 
use of cattle which are not in a good state of health. To the unscrupulous 
farmer or raiser, who cares only for the dollars which he is to get, no 
suggestions are of any use. Others will conscientiously choose the best of 
food for stock which is intended for the juroduction of meat and milk; will 
slaughter, sell, or milk for use only those which are in health; will not 
only exclude from the market the products of those of his herd which are 
affected with anthrax, foot and mouth disease, ulcers and sores in general — 
thus precluding the chances of the human family taking the same or 
similar diseases — but will take the additional precaution to keep the flesh, 
milk, droppings, urine, etc., from swine and poultry in particular, since such 
affections, so contracted by these two, have an almost immediate entrance 
into the human family through the flesh, lard and eggs. 




PART III. 



THE SHEEP AND ITS DISEASES. 



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PART in. 



THE SHEEP AND ITS DISEASES.* 



STAGGERS.— GIDDINESS. 



f^'HIS is very dangerous, occurring most frequently in lambs, especially 

|> in those not over six months old, seldom among sheep over two 

^jJii/ vears °f a g e - It is caused by small insects in the head. It is said 

St5tJ that these insects will produce tape-worm in a dog, that the joints 

of tape-worm from the dog will produce the insects in sheep, and hence, 

that the presence of dogs will induce this disease. A cold, wet season and 

low, damp localities favor the development of the disorder. 

Symptoms. — Stumbling; turning round often; head turned to one side, 
or held high up and forward; impaired appetite; indifference; wild look; 
eyes bluish, the pupils enlarged and the eyeballs prominent; then blindness, 
stupor, loss of flesh, exhaustion and death. 

Treatment. — Whether the bone be absorbed or not, a veterinary 
surgeon may perform an operation to remove the insect. In any case, the 
treatment should be applied immediately upon the discovery of the disorder. 
Belladonna is the only medicine that has effected cures. It may be given 
every day at first, then every two days until the affection disappears. 

INFLAMMATION OF THE BRAIN. 

Inflammation of the brain, in which the brain is gorged with blood, is 
caused by over-driving, high feeding, blows on the head, sunstroke, and 
the like. It is most common among lambs. 

*The reader should carefully note the remarks upon ''fti^ns ofHealth and Disease" on page 41. 
He will also readily infer that all requisite information upon the treatment ol the few ailments of the 
Goat will be easy derived from the following directions upon the Sheep. The organism and habits of 
the Ox and Sheep ate so similar that their diseases are generally the same, and references to Part II. 
should be made for treatment in all but a few diseases of the sheep. The remarks upon "Anatomy 
and Physiology" on pages 227-229 are of special importance at this point. 

293 



994 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

Sy?nptoms and Treatment.— Hot head; dullness; drooping head and 
ears; bright, red, staring eyes; staggering. Later, the animal looks wild„ 
dashes about, falls heavily in convulsions and dies. Treat as directed for 
this disorder in the Ox on a preceding page. 

APOPLEXY AND PARALYSIS. 

Apoplexy is very common in sheep, and usually arises from rich pas- 
turage, over-driving, and hot weather. 

Symptoms and Treatment of Apoplexy. — Dullness; sleepiness; red y 
fixed eyes; enlarged pupils; quick, hard pulse; loud breathing; heaving 
flanks; distended nostrils; falls, convulsions and death. Treat as for In- 
flammation of the Brain in the Ox. Give scanty food at first. Since an- 
other attack is liable to occur, it is best to fatten the animal for slaughter. 

Paralysis is sufficiently described as related to the Horse and Ox, and 
the reader is referred for treatment to the articles devoted to Paralysis in 
those animals. Rub the parts. Give gruel as food. 

HYDROPHOBIA. 

Hydrophobia is caused by the bite of a mad animal, .usually a dog, and 
its symptoms appear from two to twelve weeks after the bite. In addition 
to the symptoms among cattle (which see), the sheep chase one another, 
lose flesh and appetite, are restless, and have increased sexual instinct. 
Ewes often become stupid and paralyzed and die without violent symptoms,, 
while lambs have fits, and rams and wethers dash about and violently butt 
any object in reach. 

Treatment. — When a rabid dog has been in a flock, and it is not 
absolutely known which sheep are affected, give belladonna to the whole 
flock once a day for several days, then once a week for some weeks. If it 
is known which ones are bitten, they alone need be so treated. For fuller 
treatment see Hydrophobia in the Ox and Dog. 

FITS.— EPILEPSY. 

This disorder frequently occurs an hour or two before daybreak on a 
cold morning. On rising from the bed the animal stares, staggers, falls, 
struggles, kicks, rolls its eyes, grinds its teeth, foams at the month, and 
sometimes passes dung and urine involuntarily; soon the paroxysm subsides 
and the animal appears in good health. The fit may occur daily, and 
its repetition will exhaust the animal and perhaps prove fatal in time. 



THE SHEEP AND ITS DISEASES. 2 ( J5 

Treatment. — On the first attack give a few doses of aconite during 
the first day, followed by belladonna or stramonium. See Epilepsy in the 
Horse. Change the pasture and give comfortable shelter. 

LOCK-JAW.— TETANUS. 

Lock- jaw is fully treated in the sections devoted to the Ox and Horse, 
and to them the reader is referred. It is not so difficult of cure among 
sheep. Sufficient shelter for lambs, and for ewes in labor, during cold rains 
and severe weather, and care in castration, will avert many cases. 

WATER IN THE HEAD.— HYDROCEPHALUS. 

Water in the head is not uncommon in lambs of weak constitutions, 
and those produced by ewes likewise affected. It is an accumulation of 
serous fluid on the surface of the brain. 

Symptoms. — These are readily noticed, the head being enlarged, and the 
hind quarters perhaps paralyzed. Sometimes the. disorder comes on gradu- 
ally; the lamb staggers; the appetite is impaired or lost; the bowels are 
loose at one time and bound at another; enlarged skull; flesh lost; death. 
If the disorder exists at birth, it may be necessary to crush the skull to save 
the ewe in labor. 

Treatment. — The disorder is fatal, though relief may be given by 
belladonna and hellebore. The best preventive is a complete change in the 
stock for a new flock, with special care of the ewes in the lambing-season. 

BLAIN. 

Blain is an infectious disease, with causes, symptoms and treatment 
similar to those given for the same disease in the Ox (which see). It will 
be noticed that the head and throat are greatly enlarged. Be prompt in 
treatment, and remove the diseased animal from the flock at once. 

ULCERATION OF THE MOUTH. 

This is at first marked by inflamed, hot, red mouth; swollen gums and 
tongue; free flow of saliva and mucus from the mouth. In a few days 
small white vesicles appear on the gums and palate, which break and leave 
ulcers; sticky saliva drips from the mouth; other symptoms being refusal 
of food and loss of cud. It is sometimes epidemic. At other times it ac- 
companies foot-rot. Treat as for Blain in the Ox. 



296 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

BLACK MOUTH AND MUZZLE. 

This affection consists in scabby eruptions about the muzzle, eyes and 
ears, possibly on the whole surface. It is more common among lambs 
than sheep. 

Treatment. — Give mercurius and sulphur internally, and at the 
same time apply to the eruptions, in severe cases, an ointment of that one 
of the two which is administered. Continue them until cured. 

STRANGLES. 

This disorder is an inflammation of the salivary glands, with forma- 
tion of pus, but is uncommon among sheep. Its symptoms are fever, 
swelling under the lower jaw, and tumors which tend to form pus. Its 
treatment is the sam^ as that for Strangles in the Horse. 

HOOVE.— BLOATING.— TYMPANITIS. 

Hoove is caused by greedy and excessive eating of clover, turnips, 
or other food, or by the engorgement of the gullet, the stomach 
becoming enormously swollen. 

Treatment. — Be prompt. A surgical operation may be necessary. 
For this, and for the symptoms, as well as full treatment, see the same dis- 
ease in the Ox. Ammonium causticum and colchicum are first-required. 

DIARRHCEA. 

Diarrhoea is caused by bad food at any season; new grass in the spring; 
in lambs, poor milk and the first grass that is eaten. In many cases it may 
be a symptom of another disease, when the cause itself must be treated. 
In some instances it needs no attention, as it may be but a natural way of 
discharging injurious matter. A change of food should generally be made, 
and lambs may be dipped in cool water every morning for two weeks and 
allowed to dry, keeping them on old soil. For fuller treatment, see 
Diarrhoea in the Ox. 

DYSENTERY. 

Dysentery, an inflammation of the mucous membrane of the intestines, 
is often confused with diarrhoea, which is only a natural way of discharg- 
ing injurious matter. It may, however, result from neglected diarrhoea. 



THE SHEEP AND ITS DISEASES. 297 

Treat as for Dysentery in the Ox. Give a diet of gruel and a little hay, 
.and remove the exciting cause. Wash off the slimy mucus from the thighs 
and tail with soap and warm water, putting on sand or fine dirt to keep off 
flies and prevent the tail from adhering to the quarters. 

COLIC. 

Colic is not common among sheep, but lambs over-fed with milk, 
herbs, or rank pasturage maybe affected with it. For symptoms and treat- 
ment, see Colic in the Ox, noting particularly the symptoms which distin- 
guish it from Inflammation of the Bowels, with which it is easily confounded. 

WORMS IN THE INTESTINES. 

Woims in the intestines of lambs are indicated by disordered digestion, 
swollen abdomen, much mucus in the nostrils, diminished chewing of the 
cud, and wasting about the loins. Its full treatment will be found under 
the same disorder in the Ox, cina and felix mas being the chief medicines. 

INFLAMMATION OF THE LIVER. 

This is very common among sheep. It is often fatal and frequently 
leads on to rot, a very serious malady (see next disease). It may be pro- 
duced by excess of nourishing food, but generally, it is believed, it results 
from miasmatic influences, as from damp pastures that have been over- 
flowed, and other decaying vegetation. It is sometimes epidemic. Its 
symptoms are fever; dullness; quiet mood; hanging head; constipation; 
vellow skin and eyes, especially in the corners of the latter; heaving flanks; 
lameness in the right fore leg; pain from pressure on the right side; early 
death; or a chronic form ensues, ending in rot. Appropriate treatment is 
given under Inflammation of the Liver in the Ox. 

ROT.— FLUKE DISEASE. 

Rot is a common disease, and the most destructive one known among 
sheep. It results in a breaking up or rotting of the liver and internal 
tissues and organs. Careless thought should not produce a confusion of 
this with foot-rot, because of any similarity of names. Its chief causes are 
miasmatic influences, as decaying vegetable matter on miry lands, in the 
beds of streams that are nearly dry, and in water lying on any pasture after 
rains. Bad food, watery grass and thawing grounds are all favorable to its 



298 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

occurrence, while animals are predisposed to it by shearing in bad weather, 
exposure to cold and wet, and by the general conditions conducive to a low 
state of the system. The essential characteristic of the disease is the pres- 
ence in the liver and gall-ducts of parasites, or flukes. These derange or 
wholly destroy the functions of the liver and lead to most serious structural 
changes in that organ, finally reducing it so it will break on the slightest 
pressure, or almost dissolve away when boiled. 

Symptoms. — Though the disease sometimes develops rapidly, its symp- 
toms are more likely to be so gradual as not to attract attention at first. 
They begin with a slow walk, drooping ears and shaking of the head,, 
though the animal may appear in good condition, and even gain flesh- 
Then appear dullness, slowness, and indifference to the touch of attendants, 
the eyes being dull, watery and yellowish; eyelids swollen; skin yellow, 
puffed, and easily retaining the impression of the finger; pale lips, palate 
and gums. Then one may notice a loss of flesh; hollow flanks; breath very 
offensive; tongue, muzzle and eyes very yellow; rigid back; wool discolored,, 
coming off easily, perhaps with patches of skin; skin loose and flabby, 
with bluish-black spots on it; soft flesh, producing a crackling noise when 
handled; bowels loose at one time, then bound; scanty, high-colored urine; 
loss of appetite; excessive thirst; dropsical swellings in the abdomen and 
other parts; loss of cud; nostrils clogged with sticky mucus; copious tears; 
on the upper part of the neck and lower part of the jaw appears a soft, in- 
active tumor, larger during grazing, and disappearing during the night; 
rapid, weak pulse; quick, short breath; the animal continues lying down; 
weakness; listlessness; wasting; death. Another form of rot, occasioned 
perhaps by cold, by wet, by shearing in bad weather, and the like, is 
marked by a continual, distressing cough, in addition to many of the symp- 
toms above named. 

Treatment. — First remove the sheep to dry quarters and give a diet 
of corn, beans, peas, and other nutritious but not juicy food. Keep a good 
supply of rock-salt within reach of the animals. Give arsenicum for weak- 
ness, swollen belly, loose skin, and soft flesh, and alternate it with china if 
the skin be yellow. Bryonia is suitable for quick, difficult breathing, and 
deranged urine and clung. Yet these remedies can only relieve such symp- 
toms for a time ; they can not cure the disease, for this involves the destruc- 
tion of the flukes. Tonics which act upon the liver are the main reliance, 
and even those will be of little service if many of the parasites are present. 

Keep the sheep away from low pastures and such influences as were 
mentioned above .as producing the disorder. Give salt daily when flukes 
are known to be present, or are suspected. Sheep should not be admitted 



THE SHEEP AND ITS DISEASES. '.".I'.t 

to infested fields as a rule, though the chances of infection are greatly re- 
duced by simply keeping the flock out of them when the grass is wet with 
dew or rain. Isolate infested animals, and even destroy them in some cases 
Professor Law names the following, a half-pint daily to each sheep: 

Linseed, rape, pea, oat, barley, or unbolted 

wheat flour, 40 lbs. 

Powdered gentian or anise seed, 4 lbs. 

Sulphate or oxide of iron, 1 lb. 

Common salt, 4 lbs. 

Though this may be given with some hopes of benefit, cases that are 
bad or confirmed will generally resist the best treatment. 

DISORDERS OF THE RESPIRATORY ORGANS. 

The disorders of the breathing-apparatus in the sheep are in general 
the same as those in cattle, such as Cough, Cold, Catarrh, Bronchitis,. 
Laryngitis, Pneumonia, and occasionally Consumption. Their symptoms 
and suitable treatment are given under the appropriate articles on the 
Ox. It may be remarked that a form of cold in the head, characterized by 
a thin, watery, mattery discharge, is contagious, and that an animal so 
suffering should be isolated to prevent a further spread. 

SCAB. 

This is a very destructive disease, similar in general to mange or itch 
in other animals. It is due to the presence of parasities, which are easily 
transmitted from one sheep to another by direct contact, by occupying 
places in which infested sheep have been kept, or by rubbing objects which 
they have touched; and even' attendants or dogs will carry them to the 
flock. The disorder is more common in dirty, weak, unhealthy, and long- 
wooled sheep. In addition to itching and scratching, it is characterized by 
pustules, ulcers, scabs, and falling of patches of wool. 

Treatment. — Fh*st moisten and remove the scabs with warm soap- 
suds. If the wool is heavy, patience will be requisite, and care will be 
needed to avoid staining of the fleece. Professor Law gives the following 
as suitable and safe: 

Tobacco, 16 pounds. 

Oil of tar, 3 pints. 

Soda-ash, 20 pounds. 

Soft soap, 4 pounds. 

Water, 50 gallons. 



300 



THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 



The tobacco is to be boiled in some water, and the oil, ash and soap 
dissolved in boiling water, then water is to be added until fifty gallons in 
all have been used. The preparation is to be applied at a temperature of 
about 70 F., each sheep being kept in the bath three minutes, the attend- 
ants meanwhile breaking up the scabs and rubbing the liquid into all parts 
of the skin. Upon taking the sheep out, squeeze the liquid out of the wool 
so it will run back into the bath. It may be necessary to repeat the appli- 
cation two or three times. The amount given above will be enough to 
treat fifty sheep once. In persistent cases it will be necessary to shear the 




A Bad Case of Scab. 



■sheep. In such instances, or whenever the wool is very short, some oily 
application is advised, since it will not so readily wash off, and the author 
•quoted recommends one part of oil of tar to forty parts of castor oil. Avoid 
applications which contain mercury, arsenic and other poisonous ingredients. 
Provide clean, dry quarters, without crowding, fresh air and nourishing 
food, such particulars being essential in treatment and very serviceable in 
preventing the disorder in animals not already suffering from scab. To 
^eradicate all traces of the malady, observe the directions upon cleansing the 
infested places and objects which are recommended for Mange in the Horse. 

LICE AND TICKS. 

These are very troublesome to sheep. Ticks most often infest the 
fleeces of ewes in the spring, and, passing to the lambs, make them weak 
by drawing their blood; and they may remain in a fleece alive for a year 
after it is clipped. 



] 



THE SHEEP AND ITS DISEASES. 301 

Treatment. — To a dilution of one part of the tincture of tabacurr> 
and ten of water add an equal quantity of vinegar, and with this saturate 
the wool; or, as a less harmful though equally efficacious expedient, thor- 
oughly soak the skin and wool with olive oil, and afterward wash with 
soap and warm water. The use of soap and water alone is unavailing. A 
liberal rubbing with a lotion of equal parts of sulphurous acid and glycerine 
or water will drive away the insects; dilute carbolic acid will do the 
same. 

FLY IN THE NOSE. 

In the summer the gadfly deposits its eggs in the flaps of the nostrils- 
of the choice sheep in a flock while asleep; larvae are soon hatched, pass up 
the nasal cavities to the small nasal sinuses, and descend in the spring, bury- 
ing themselves in the ground and coming out as flies in the summer. In 
the passage upward and downward the larvae irritate the delicate membrane- 

Symptoms. — Inflamed nostrils; pain; dizziness; stamping; violent 
sneezing; tossing of the head; discharge of larvae from the nose with much 
mucus. 

Treatment. — Give sulphur internally, and burn it under the sheep's 
nose so it can inhale the fumes. The sneezing caused bv the fumes will 
expel the larvae, and they should be destroyed if not already dead. Avoid 
blowing powders up the nostrils. 

MAGGOTS IN THE FLESH. 

Sheep that are dirty about the tail and quarters, and those that have 
sores, are attacked by a large blow-fly which deposits its eggs in the filth 
or sores. The eggs produce maggots which burrow in the skin and cause 
swelling, pain, low spirits and weakness. If the maggots are not promptly 
removed, pus and ulcers will form, and death ensue. 

Treatment. — The best treatment is to search out and remove the- 
maggots, and keep the affecicd parts clean with diluted carbolic acid. 
Carefully avoid all mercurial applications. 

GOITRE. 

This is an unsightly tumor which arises from an enlargement of the 
thyroid gland, situated on the side of the neck. In lambs the enlargement 
may extend from the jaw to the breast-bone. It is probably caused by 
mineral constituents of the drinking-water, and is most common in localities. 



302 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

in which the water contains magnesian limestone. The tumor is at first 
soft, but afterward becomes tense and hard, and will be gritty if opened. 

Treatment. — Provide pure rain water. Give iodine internally and 
apply the same externally. Spongia is an excellent internal remedy, as is 
also drosera. A local use of a lotion of mercurius corrosivus will be bene- 
ficial in some cases, alone or used at intervals, with iodine applied at other 
times. To prevent goitre in lambs, give the ewes in winter rain-water, 
o-ood feeding, and an abundance of open-air exercise. Neglect of such 
precautions has been followed by the loss of the entire produce of the year. 
It will take a long time to effect a cure of a case of real goitre. 

FOOT-ROT. 

Foot-rot is either mild or malignant. The mild form is an inflamma- 
tion of the space between the two parts of the hoof and is usually associ- 
ated with Ulceration of the Mouth (which see). It is caused by sand or 
gravel in the affected part, hard roads, hot weather, and fatigue. The in- 
flammation often extends to the whole foot, with ulcerations, the pastern 
and fetlock joints perhaps becoming involved. There is lameness in one 
foot, or, if both front feet are affected, the animal creeps about on its knees, 
and pain and fever are present. The malignant form affects the whole foot, 
and is caused by a change from dry, upland fields to soft, grassy meadows. 
The hoof becomes softened, grows irregularly, cracks and splits; foreign 
matter in the cracks irritates them, producing inflammation and disorganiz- 
ing the parts, attended with ulcers, detachment of pieces of the foot, and 
disease of the bones, cartilages and ligaments. 

Treatment. — At first remove all foreign matters, foment the hoof 
with tepid water, and dress all sores with a lotion of arnica or calendula. 
Remove matter, rough edges, and decayed horn, cutting open ulcers to the 
bottom if it be necessary to reach the matter, and syringing out the sores. 
Then apply a poultice of turnip or oatmeal, followed by bandaging with 
calendula-lotion. If, however, the formation of pus continues, use the poul- 
tice again. Bandages should be continued until the hoof becomes sound, 
and all irritating substances be kept out. During the formation of pus give 
silicea or hepar, followed by sulphur or thuja. See Foot-Rot in the Ox. 

SWELLING OF THE JOINTS. 

Such swelling is rather common among lambs. It is an inflamed con- 
dition of the joints, usually the knee, sometimes the hock and fetlock, and 
arises from damp and cold. 



THE SHEEP AND ITS DISEASES. 31 >3 

Symptom s. — Swelling; heat; stiffness; pain; general disorder of the 

system; the symptoms grow worse, ulceration sets in, with matter dis- 
charged; chronic lameness or death. 

Treatment. — Shelter the animal; foment the joint and bandage it 
with rhus-lotion ; give aconite for fever, and hepar or silicea if pus forms. 

MISCARRIAGE.— ABORTION. 

Miscarriage is frequent in ewes, though seldom fatal, and even seems 
to be epidemic. It may arise from weakness; intercourse with a ram or 
hasty driving during the latter stages of pregnancy; a sudden fright. It is 
apt to occur when a cold winter is followed by a wet summer. 

Treatment. — If the disorder seems general among the ewes, give 
each of them a dose of arnica once a day for a few days. If miscarriage 
has begun, give secale every six or eight hours. Ferrum sulphuris is bene- 
ficial if the trouble seems to result from a weak system. See other remedies 
and fuller information in the article on Miscarriage or Abortion in the Cow. 

INFLAMMATION OF THE UDDER. 

This disorder of ewes arises, during the lambing-season, from cold and 
wet, damp, easterly winds, or lying with the udder on the cold, wet ground. 
Its progress is rapid and often fatal; hence treatment must be prompt. 

Symptoms. — Udder swollen, very tender, and growing hot and hard; 
quickened pulse; loss of appetite; fever; perhaps ulceration. 

Treatment. — Afford a dry, warm shelter. Give aconite for fever, 
five or six drops three or four times daily. When the fever subsides, give 
belladonna and bryoniain alternation two or three times a day. After the 
above remedies, if hardness remains in the udder, give a few doses of sul- 
phur. Mercurius will be especially needed if pus or ulceration ensues. 
Empty the udder of its contents by hand if the lamb will not do it. Fuller 
information is given in the section on this disorder in the Cow. 

DISORDERS INCIDENT TO LAMBING. 

AJ/lk or Puerperal Fever is much to be dreaded. For causes, symp- 
toms and treatment, consult the section on the same disorder among 
cows. 

Injiam /nation of the Pudenda may be produced by injuries to the 
parts of generation from forcibly taking the lamb away from the ewe. 
The pudenda are hot, painful and swollen. Wash the parts well with 



3()4 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

tepid water and bathe with arnica-lotion. Give arnica internally two or 
three times a day. Aconite alternated with sulphur is sometimes useful. 

BRAXY. 

Braxy is a term which is used with a variety of meanings. An in- 
flammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach and bowels is known 
as dry braxy; if the serous membrane of the abdomen is affected, the 
disorder is known as zvatcr braxy; another form that is marked by 
diarrhoea or dysentery is known as dumb braxy. True braxy, which we 
are now considering (the others having been sufficiently noticed in other 
places and under different names), is a blood-disease, and is caused by ex- 
cessive eating, particularly of turnips and rich food; by a change from 
poor to rank food; by whatever will derange the general system; and by 
contagion in some cases. It is sudden in its attacks, so far as visible symp- 
toms are concerned, and is very often fatal, death not unfrequently occurring 
in a few hours. It arises particularly in frosty weather. 

Symptoms. — Staggering; quick, bounding pulse; hot, dry mouth; 
quick, hard breathing and panting; hard, dry dung and dark, scanty 
urine, both difficult of passage; "weakness; the animal falls, rolls on its back, 
and dies; sometimes, however, the skin is puffed out and the underlying 
gas produces crackling if the hand is rubbed over it; in other cases the 
paunch is swollen out on the left side. 

Treatment. — Treatment must be given in the first stages. In the 
earliest symptoms make the animal move about briskly. For prostration 
give arsenicum, ten drops every fifteen or twenty minutes. Should it be 
necessary to puncture the paunch (see this operation under Tympanitis in 
the Ox), mix vomica and ammonium causticum should be given, ten drops 
every hour until improvement begins, then once in two or three hours. 
Drench down small quantities of hot gruel, while the animal is kept in a 
warm place. If the dung is hard and the belly painful, warm water mav 
be injected through the rectum. Should recovery ensue, be very careful 
about the food for some days. Shelter and avoidance of a sudden change 
to rich pasturage are useful in preventing the disease. 

SHEEP-POX. 

Sheep-pox is a very contagious and destructive disease, and its infection 
may be carried by other animals, by shepherds, and other means, and when 
its virus has been deposited on the pastures or in other places frequented by 
sheep, the disorder readily spreads. It may be communicated to a dog,, 



THE SHEEP AND ITS DISEASES. 305 

but not to man. It is of two kinds: the mild, in which the pustules are 
few, and remain distinct; the malignant, or "confluent," in which the 
pustules are many, irregular in outline, running into each other, rapid in their 
action, and generally fatal. 

Symptoms. — In about a week from the time the infection occurs the 
animal leaves the flock, is dull and listless, with quick breath, rapid, short 
pulse, swollen eyelids and red membrane of the eyeball. Later, small, red, 
inflamed pimples are found in the skin where there is no wool, which 
rapidly increase in number and extend to all parts, but especially to the 
inner side of the thighs, the anus, the adjoining bare spots, the lips and the 
mouth; these then grow larger and appear as pustules, the system generally 
becoming disturbed, the thirst great, pulse tremulous, appetite impaired, cud 
lost, bowels inactive, or sometimes loose. In perhaps a week the center of 
the eruptions is transparent and elevated and filled with a fluid, at first 
clear, then turbid; the pustule now takes on a yellowish, opaque appear- 
ance, is generally flattened, the skin around it becoming pale; the pustule 
then dries. If the scabs or eruptions be rubbed off or broken, the healing 
will be slow. In ordinary cases the eruptions last sixteen or eighteen days, 
from their appearance to the natural falling of the scabs; then the animal, 
' in favorable cases, recovers. In the "confluent" form the fever is very 
I severe, becoming typhoid in character; pulse rapid and strong at first, then 
weak and tremulous; quick and offensive breath; blood-shot eyes; swollen 
eyelids; mucous membranes blue and congested; great pain in the back 
I and limbs; intense thirst; offensive smell from the skin; the wool falls off 
I in patches, or readily comes off with the hand. The pustules run to- 
t gether, forming a mass of rotten matter and ulcers; the face becomes dis- 
gusting, with swollen nose; yellowish discharge from the nose and mouth, 
I pustules in the nasal cavities, and even back to or beyond the throat; great 
tenderness generally; prostration; diarrhoea; death in eight or nine days 
I from the appearance of the eruptions. 

Treatment. — Isolate infected animals to prevent the spread of the 
malady and do not return them until all scabs have disappeared. Keep the 
! eyes, mouth and nostrils well cleansed with a weak dilution of carbolic acid. 
j Keep rock-salt in reach of the sick and the well, and add a little vinegar 
to the water. Cool, dry, well-aired sheds, with comfortable bedding 
and protection from rains, should be provided. Give gruels of oatmeal or 
bran, and a drachm of saltpetre to each affected sheep, but avoid heat- 
producing foods in the main. Such local applications may be used for the 
pustules as were mentioned for Cow-Pox. Antimonium tartaricum should 
be given as soon as the disease is certainly known to exist, and it is also 
very useful in the eruptive stages. For much ulceration, offensive smell 



30(3 



THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 



of the breath and skin, and formation of pus, mercurius will be invaluable. 
Sulphur is efficacious when scabs are forming, and for completing a cure 
when it has begun. All objects that have been touched by the infected 
sheep should be thoroughly rubbed with strong carbolic acid. 

Owin°" to the malignant character of the disease it is better not to 
undertake any treatment unless the infection has spread so far that the 
slaughter would involve a heavy loss. If it is detected in time, the safer 
and cheaper plan is to kill and bury or burn the infected ones and thus cut 
short the malady. When it has gained a start, good results may be ob- 
tained bv inoculating the well with the virus of the sick, since it has been 
clearly proved that the disease taken by inoculation is much less fatal than 
when occurring by the natural mode of infection. 

WOUNDS, SPRAINS, FRACTURES, ETC. 

The suitable description and treatment of all such injuries as Cuts, 
Wounds in general, Dislocations, Fractures, Sprains, and the like, may be 
gained by reference to the sections devoted to them respectively in the 
Horse. Severe cases are best treated by an immediate slaughter, before 
the incident derangement of the system so far advances as to render the 
flesh unfit for food. 

FEVERS, RHEUMATISM, DROPSY, ETC. 

For the various forms of Fever, Rheumatism and Dropsy, the reader 
should refer to these diseases as they are found in the Horse and Ox. It 
may be said that a form of Dropsy known as Red-Water occurs quite 
often in sheep when they are first fed on turnips, and in lambs that are 
wenned in cold, damp surroundings. This type requires good shelter, a 
change of diet, and the treatment, in general, laid down for Dropsy in the Ox. 

Disorders which occur more or less often in the sheep, and are not 
mentioned in this part of the work because they are sufficiently considered 
with reference to the Ox, are Thrush, Inflammation of the Bowels, Inflam- 
mation of the Spleen, Constipation, Loss of Appetite and Cud, Black 
Quarter, and several easily recognized diseases of the Skin. 



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THE HOG AND HIS DISEASES. 

GENERAL REMARKS. 



»HE observations upon Anatomy and Physiology which are made 



ife on page 41 apply with sufficient precision to the hog to make 

J p unnecessary a separate treatise thereon. The varied food of this 

^p) animal points to a similarity of functions as compared with those 

of man, and all practical hints for a work of this kind will be gleaned from 

i what has been laid down in the several chapters of Part I. Before ad- 

I vancing to the treatment of diseases, however, notes are in order upon a 

few popular errors of practice in the care of swine. 

In the first place, it is generally assumed that the hog is by nature 
( prone to habits of filth. He is naturally disposed to wallow in water or 
other fluid elements, but will choose that which is clean if he has an oppor- 
tunity. If he has not, he will take to what is afforded him, however filthy 
it be. It is only a disregard of his natural fondness for wallowing that 
I leads him to take to offensive mire. A little observation will convince 
I one that this animal is disposed to be cleanly. He will keep his sleeping- 
| apartments clean and dry and will generally deposit the manure in a place 
: apart from the bed, feed and drink. If one would have cleanly and healthy 
I swine, the sty should be so arranged as to permit them to follow such 
1 promptings of their nature — a practice which is far from common. 

In the second place, swine are not sufficiently protected from the 
weather. They are proverbial prognosticators of the weather, as shown 
by their preparation of beds before an approaching cold spell; and they 
are also sensitive to extremes of heat and cold. Their squealing in cold 
! weather is more marked than the noise made by any other of the domestic 
; animals in the winter; they will huddle together more closely to preserve 
warmth than others will ; and they will with equal persistence seek damp 
and shady places in summer. These indicate that the hog is much more 

309 



310 the; veterinary doctor. 

sensitive than the majority of people suppose, if one may judge hy the ex- 
posure to hitter cold and burning heat that is usually imposed. Such 
neglect contributes to discomfort and disease, and the exposure in winter is- 
peculiarly unwise, in that it creates a great demand for food to merely 
maintain the temperature of the body, whereas the food should be used 
directly for flesh-forming purposes. 

There is a widespread aversion to the use of pork because of the ex- 
istence of trichina?, and it is well to remark that much can be done to avoid 
this diseased condition by a proper regard to the pen and feed. Ti"ichince 
are parasites in the flesh of the hog which are liberated in the human 
stomach by digestion, if infested pork is eaten without being long and 
thoroughly cooked. Rats and mice are peculiarly affected by these para- 
sites and they will communicate them to the hog. It is a well-known fact 
that swine are prone to eat these animals, and that the latter will infest the 
pens to get the grain therein. It is obvious, therefore, that special pains 
should be taken in the construction of a piggery to wdiolly shut out rats 
and mice from all possible reach of swine. Besides, the offal of the hog, 
from the slaughter-house, butcher's shop and kitchen, should be scrupulously 
excluded from the feed, lest it be infested with trichinae and so transmit 
them to healthy swine. 

The last caution upon the feed may be carried further. It seems 
strange that, while hogs are kept solely as producers of food for the table,, 
their owners so generally act upon the rule that any food is "good enough 
for a hog." This must be the outgrowth of the most complete thoughtless- 
ness. To say nothing in detail upon the necessity of wholesome feeding to 
secure even acceptable pork, the writer will drop a remark upon the unwise 
use of milk and flesh-food. It is generally understood that milk is one of 
the choicest articles of food for swine, and it is if it is from a healthy cow. 
But what shall be said of the practice of carrying to the pigs the milk 
taken from diseased cows — because it is unfit for the family? That pigs 
are afflicted with anthrax, foot and mouth disease, and other malignant 
disorders, as a result of drinking the milk of cows suffering from the same, 
is well known. Again, carelessness is exhibited in allowing hogs to eat 
the flesh of cattle and other animals that have died from these diseases or 
been slaughtered because they were so affected, and sometimes such flesh 
is directly fed to them. In either case, they will become diseased and their 
flesh, when put on the table, will create more or less sickness in the house- 
hold. Since the hog is not at all fastidious in his eating, it is all the more 
important that his owner guard the food, and particularly because his only 
direct use is the supplying of food for the human family. 

The above points are mentioned because they are matters for every- 



THE HOG AND HIS DISEASES. 3 1 I 

day thought, and a disregard of them leads to the discomfort and disease 
of the animals, to extravagance in keeping, and to sickness of the human 
family. With these brief notes we pass to the consideration of the diseases, 
naming those which are confined to the hog, with a few others not so 
limited hut needing particular mention. A large proportion of the disorders 
from which swine suffer are common to other animals, and hence need no 
further treatment than can he found by reference to preceding pages. 

ANTHRAX.— FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE, ETC. 

As remarked ahove, swine will contract various malignant diseases by 
eating the flesh of animals which have been affected with the same, and 
also very often by drinking the milk of diseased cows. In such cases, the 
swine will present the same symptoms as are shown by the animals which 
have thus imparted the disease, and the treatment laid down for the disease 
of the animal whose flesh or milk has been taken will be required for the 
affected swine. The fact that a hog has partaken of such diseased flesh or 
milk is a sufficient guide in determining upon the character of its ailment, 
and no detailed mention of causes or symptoms is needed at this point, since 
these are not distinctive diseases of swine. 

CHOLERA.— BLUE DISEASE. 

This is a very contagious and fatal fever, which begins with shivering, 
a dull, drooping manner and loss of appetite, followed by offensive 
and perhaps bloody diarrhoea, heat and redness of the surface, with blue, 
purplish, scarlet or black spots on the skin and mucous membranes. The 
animal lies on the belly and evinces pain. Vomiting of food or bile attends 
some cases, and a hard, dry cough is present in many instances. Other 
symptoms will be much thirst; quickened respiration and pulse; tem- 
perature 102° to 105 (detected by inserting a clinical thermometer in the 
rectum); thick fur on the tongue; hot, dry snout; unsteady gait behind, 
the surface of these parts then becoming cold; squealing when the belly 
is handled; after a time all control of the hind parts is lost, the animal 
becomes stupid (whereas it is sometimes delirious in earlier stages), and the 
muscles twitch or jerk. In rare instances there may be constipation from 
the beginning, instead of the diarrhoea. After a hog has been exposed to 
the malady the distinctive symptoms will not appear for three or four days 
in summer, or one to two weeks in winter. The disease generally proves 
fatal, deatli ensuing in from a few hours to five or six days. Occasionally an 
animal will pass through a slow and doubtful recovery. 



312 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

Treatment — Since recovery is rare and the disease is so prone to 
spread with great fatality, the only safe course is to kill and bury the infected 
animal at once. If treatment is undertaken, keep the piggery thoroughly 
infected with carbolic acid, and isolate the patient from the well. Feed 
well-boiled gruels of rye or barley, and boiled corn-starch. Put a little 
sulphuric acid into the drinking-water, the latter being cool, fresh and clean. 
Rhus, five drops every hour or two, is suitable for stages marked by the 
spots on the skin, diarrhoea, decline of spirits and strength, and threatened 
paralysis of the hind parts. Arsenicum, same dose as rhus, is a good gen- 
eral remedy, particularly for the diarrhoea, blue spots, cold surface, and 
vomiting. When the belly is very tender and the dung bloody, ten to fif- 
teen drops of turpentine twice a day will be invaluable. 

In the general care, whether in treatment or prevention, keep the 
apartments and bedding thoroughly clean and well-ventilated, dash cold 
water on the body, insure exercise, and give only good food, not too stimu- 
lating to the bowels for the well, and very simple for the sick. Test the 
temperature of all the hogs in the inclosure, and if it rises to or above 103 , 
treat or kill them at once. When one has been attacked, disinfect all others 
with dilute carbolic acid, and put a little of the same or a few drops of tur- 
pentine in the food or drink. Mix some charcoal in the food. Keep the 
well away from the inclosure, and from water that flows out of it. Bury 
or burn all infected animals as soon as they have died or been killed. Note 
the remarks under Strangles about confusing cholera with that disorder. 

STRANGLES.— QUINSY.— FALSE CHOLERA. 

The last of these three names is used because cases of strangles are fre- 
quently mistaken for cholera. Strangles, or so-called quinsy, is a result of 
colds, chills, or other influences which set up an inflammation of the mucous 
membranes of the respiratory organs. This may extend to the digestive 
track and induce a peculiar diarrhoea which, with the rapid fatality incident 
to both, leads to the confusion with real cholera. The glands beneath the 
neck are swollen, with a general swelling and stiffness of the neck; the 
head is immovable; the breathing is difficult, rattling and hoarse, or of a 
snoring nature; considerable fever is present; the tongue hangs out, and is 
covered with a slimy, sticky saliva; diarrhoea often occurs; there is a rapid 
decline of strength; the swelling on the neck tends to gangrene; death 
rapidly ensues. 

Treatment. — In the beginning it will often be sufficient to afford 
warm, dry shelter, tepid or cool water and gruels. For dry and inflamed or 
swollen throat, with suffocating breathing, give six drops of belladonna in 






THE IIOG AND HIS DISEASES. 313 



a little water or meal every two or three hours. Ten drops of hepar every 
three hours will he useful for the symptoms just named, swelling of the 
head and face, and tendency in the swellings to "point" in suppuration. 
Give ten drops of mercurius every two or three hours when the swellings 
"become soft and the saliva is profuse and offensive, or if the abscesses break 
internally. Sulphur is a good general remedy, and is peculiarly suitable to 
complete a cure that has begun. The greatest virtue is claimed for a mix- 
ture of equal parts of sweet oil, spirits of turpentine and kerosene oil, put 
into the feed and thus scattered over soft stone-coal. It may be used with 
great hope of good results, both as a remedy and a preventive. Pure air, 
warmth, freedom from cold draughts and sudden changes of temperature, 
warm but simple gruels, and tepid water are essential in the treatment, and 
are most serviceable in preventing the spread of the disease. This disorder 
is contagious, and the affected animals should be isolated at once. 

SWINE-POX. 

This is a contagious disease, being even communicable to man, and 
perhaps attacks young pigs most often. It is characterized by little red 
spots which are more particularly seen on the flanks, behind the shoulders, 
and in other parts where the skin is thin. After the poison enters the sys- 
tem it is latent ten or twelve days in winter, and three to six in summer. 
Then there will be dullness, loss of appetite, and stiffness of the hind parts, 
these being followed by increased temperature, constipation, red and watery 
eves, nasal discharge, trembling, and red patches on the abdomen and inside 
the legs. Little red spots soon appear, generally flat on top, their centers 
becoming pale or clear, with a red margin. These spots may appear 
singly or in patches, the latter indicating a more serious condition. When 
these eruptions appear, the fever measurably declines for three or four days, 
only to return as the vesicles grow more prominent and irritating. The 
eruptions finally dry up and form crusts, the latter then becoming gradually 
detached. The disease lasts three to five weeks, and is sometimes very fatal, 
though generally the most of the patients recover. 

Treatment. — Keep the pigs in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place, 
with an abundance of bedding, and avoid heating food, giving roots and 
gruels of the meal of oats or beans, with a little saltpetre once a day. 
Provide salt for the pigs to lick, and put a little vinegar in the drinking- 
water. In the latter stages, when there is much weakness, give such tonics 
as cinchona and gentian. Use upon the eruptions such local applications 
as are recommended for Cow-Pox. In other respects, follow the directions 
and cautions set forth under the head of Sheep-Pox. 



314 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

LEPROSY. 

By this is meant a disease which, though rare in America, is quite 
common in some countries of Europe, notably in England. Its essential 
manifestation is the development of whitish vesicles in any or all parts of 
the soft tissues of the body. It is most likely excited by a foul state of the 
sty and food, exposure to wet and cold, and other influences which seriously 
derange the digestive functions. Its progress is insidious, the organic changes 
being often far advanced before the disorder is noticed. The thighs, 
hams, jaws, shoulders, belly, in fact, all parts, contain the whitish vesicles; 
the animal is slow, drooping and weak ; the skin thickens and shows ulcerous 
sores, with patches of hair coming off; ■ the gait is unsteady, and the mus- 
cular control of the hind parts is sometimes entirely lost; the appetite may 
be seemingly normal; the breath is offensive, and the whole surface emits 
a more or less putrid odor; as the disease progresses, it will be marked by 
increased ulceration and swelling of the skin, with flakes coming off, shiny 
and offensive saliva, and other signs of putrefaction. 

Treatment. — At whatever stage the disease be detected, it is 
best to kill the hog and bury it, because its flesh will scarcely be rendered 
fit for food with the best treatment, or with the most approved curing and 
cooking of the meat. 

MEASLES. 

This is of quite frequent occurrence among swine, though it is ma- 
terially different in character from the disease in the human being to which 
the term is applied. It is essentially due to the presence of cysts in the 
muscles, in the tissues, in the eye, brain, and other parts, these cysts contain- 
in°- worms which are believed to be the undeveloped form of the tape- 
worm which infests the human body, and which enters the hog's stomach 
when it eats the human excrement of privies or drinks water running there- 
from. It is claimed that the human stomach in turn receives the tape-worm 
when infested pork is eaten without being thoroughly cooked. These cysts 
can usually be seen if they are under the tongue or in the eye. If they are 
in the muscles and adjoining tissues, the animal will be in pain, and be stiff; 
if in the brain, there will be stupor or delirium, or both. 

Treatment. — When the cysts have once become imbedded in the 
organic structures, treatment is unavailing. An avoidance of the influences 
which give rise to the disorder, including the deposits about privies — which 
are not safe as a fertilizer where the hog runs — is the best mode of prevention, 
and this is the only safe treatment. 



THE HOG AND HIS DISEASES. 315 

NASAL CATARRH.— SNIFFLES. 

This is quite common in the hog, and is generally the result of exposure 
to cold and wet in the first instance, though it is not unfrequently inherited. 
It is characterized by the nasal discharge which attends colds in other ani- 
mals, and often by a discharge of blood from the nose; if the latter con- 
tinues long, the snout is deformed and drawn to one side. Though a tem- 
porary improvement may be noticed at times, the strength will give way if 
the bloody discharges recur often, and the case will be fatal. 

Treatment. — The disease usually advances so far before attention is 
paid to it that it will eventually be fatal in spite of treatment. Keep the 
animal in warm, dry quarters, and select the remedies mentioned for 
Catarrh in the Horse. One to three grains of sulphate of copper (blue 
vitriol) night and morning, in solution, may alone be enough, if it is long 
continued in connection with good care and food. 

PNEUMONIA.— RISING OF THE LIGHTS. 

Pneumonia, or inflammation of the lungs, is quite common among 
swine, and is very often fatal. It arises from exposure to damp and cold,, 
bleak winds, and the like, and is prone to attack all the swine in the herd 
when it once appears — because all are equally exposed. The most prom- 
inent symptoms are loss of appetite, difficult breathing, heaving flanks, 
and an incessant and distressing cough. These should arouse suspicion 
when hogs have been unduly exposed, and treatment be resorted to at once. 

Treatment. — Appropriate the remedies prescribed for Pneumonia in 
the Horse, and observe the notes on general care in the same article. 

APOPLEXY. 

The chief causes of apoplexy in man or beast being high-feeding and ex- 
cess of fat, with inactivity, this disorder is of very frequent occurrence among 
swine, and it generally terminates in sudden death. Its approach is indi- 
cated by dullness and drooping, indisposition to move, staggering gait, wild 
eyes, absence of appetite, failure of sight, and general numbness. A par- 
tial recovery is often enjoyed, but repeated attacks will occur, and they 
often lead to brain fever. 

Treatment. — Adopt the treatment mentioned for the Horse if any 
time is afforded. Apoplexy sometimes invades the piggery like an epi- 
demic, and the exciting cause should be sought out and removed, increased 
exercise being especially needed in most cases. 



116 the; veterinary doctor. 

BRAIN FEVER.— FRENZY.— MAD STAGGERS. 

As elsewhere remarked, brain fever often results from repeated attacks 
of apoplexy; but it may also be caused by over-feeding, especially with 
new corn or other heating articles; excessive heat; hard driving; insufficient 
water. Though there is some difference between brain fever and mad 
staggers, they are so similar in symptoms and treatment that they may 
properly be thus grouped. The symptoms which indicate its approach are 
similar to the first ones of apoplexy; then inflammation sets in and the 
animal runs wildly to and fro, and dashes against any object in its way. 

Treatment. — Adopt the treatment given for the Horse. 

EPILEPSY.— FITS. 

Epilepsy is quite rare in the hog, but far from unknown. It is ushered 
in by grunting, restlessness, quickened breathing and a staggering gait; 
then the animal suddenly falls and lies motionless a short time, after which 
■convulsions come on, and increase in violence; the face is distorted, the neck 
curved, the legs alternately drawn to and extended from the belly very 
rapidly; the eyes protrude and turn about; the tongue is clenched between 
the teeth, the latter grinding together; the animal after a time regains con- 
sciousness, rises, timidly hides away for a few minutes, and then resumes 
his usual habits. 

Treatment. — Nothing can be done during a paroxysm, but some re- 
sults may be obtained in preventing a recurrence by insuring freedom from 
excitement, giving simple food, and keeping on the head cold applications, 
a cloth bound on the top being suitable. A pint of vinegar, two pints of 
water and one ounce of sal ammoniac make a good cold application. If 
one wishes to use internal remedies, they can be selected from those named 
for Epilepsy in the Horse. 

LOCK-JAW AND HYDROPHOBIA. 

These two disorders of the nervous system are thus grouped, not be- 
cause they are similar, but because it is only necessary to say, first, that 
they are somewhat common among swine — lock-jaw occurring especially 
after castration, particularly if high feeding is practiced, and hydrophobia 
being peculiarly apt to affect the sty because a rabid animal has such easy 
access to it; second, it is but necessary to name their symptoms and refer 
.elsewhere for treatment. 

Lock-jaw is characterized by spasmodic movements of the head and 



THE HOG AND HIS DISK ASKS. 317 

legs, grinding teeth, stiffness of the jaws, these being soon followed by stiff- 
ness in the neck and the greater part of the whole body, and a peculiar 
elevated position of the head. If the animal survives the twelfth or 
eighteenth hour, there are good grounds for expecting a recovery. For 
treatment, refer to Lock-jaw in the Horse. 

Hydrophobia arises from the bite of a rabid dog, fox or other animal, 
and is at first characterized by dullness and continual licking of the bite; 
then the symptoms are very similar to those of a rabid dog, and the reader 
is referred, for fuller notes and treatment, to Hydrophobia in the Dog. 

COLIC AND INFLAMMATION OF THE BOWELS. 

These two are mentioned together because one is easily mistaken for 
the other, though they are radically different, as shown by their symptoms. 
In colic, the animal is restless, utters cries of pain, and rolls on the ground; 
in inflammation of the bowels, the symptoms are dullness, loss of appetite, 
constipation, spasms, continued restless motion, staggering gait and other 
marks of pain. 

Treatment. — Select remedies and local applications from those 
given for Colic and Inflammation of the Bowels in the Horse. For inflam- 
mation of the bowels, in particular, provide warm baths, dry bedding, and. 
general comfort. 

WORMS IN THE INTESTINES. 

Worms very often exist in the intestines, are very troublesome, and 
not unfrequently exceedingly fatal. Their presence may be inferred if the 
animal has a voracious appetite and yet continues lean and out of con- 
dition in general, coughs, runs restlessly about, utters cries of pain, snaps 
at other hogs or whatever animals are in reach. The dung is usually hard 
and high-colored, though diarrhoea is not uncommon; the urine sometimes 
whitish; the eyes sunken; weakness becomes more marked and is attended 
with symptoms similar to those in Colic; staggering and convulsions some- 
times ensue. 

Treatment. — Turpentine, a few drops to the dose, is very efficacious, 
and does not injure swine if given in proper quantities. Common salt, 
which is poisonous to hogs when given in large quantities in the food, is 
an excellent remedy when supplied in such a way that it can be licked at 
will. Cina and santonine are standard remedies in the treatment for worms. 
Tansy is also valuable. For tape-worm, put the hog on a fast, and then 
give felix mas or root of male shield-fern; areca nut is only second to this, 



318 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

being especially suitable for weak animals. Provide clean quarters and 
wholesome food, and observe care in promoting - a healthy condition of the 
stomach and bowels. Note the remarks on tape-worm under Measles. 

DISORDERS FOLLOWING CASTRATION AND SPAYING. 

It is useless in a work of this kind to give directions upon the various 
methods of performing these operations. They are matters of practice, to 
be learned by witnessing the operation. It may be said that boar-pigs 
should be castrated after the tenth day and before the third month is passed. 
The best age for operating on a sow-pig is perhaps six weeks. One should 
seek to have the pigs in good health at the time, and so far as possible 
choose weather that is neither very warm nor very cold, and preferably not 
wet. After the operation, it is well to confine the animals for a few days to 
keep them from getting into water and mud before the sore has healed. 
Provide good shelter, with plenty of clean bedding. Sour milk or whey 
and barley-meal make a good feed. High feeding after the operation is 
very unwise and dangerous. It is not unfrequently the case that the ani- 
mal, some time after the operation, evinces signs of lock-jaw (spasmodic 
motion of the head and of one or more legs, grinding of the teeth and stiff- 
ness of the jaws), and then the treatment for Lock-jaw is tc be adopted, 

GENERAL MENTION OF DISORDERS. 

As remarked on a preceding page, the hog is subject to many disorders 
which are common to the norse, ox and sheep, and hence do not need sepa- 
rate treatment. Among them we mention Paralysis, a partial or complete 
loss of some of the members, as a leg; Diarrhoea, a simple looseness of 
the bowels as a result of improper food, a cold, or some constitutional dis- 
ease; Dysentery, or Bloody Flux, which is an inflammation or ulceration of 
the membranes of the intestines, attended with blood discharges, much 
pain, and rapid prostration; Stone in the Bladder; Inversion of the Blad- 
der; Inflammation and Enlargement of the Spleen; Protrusion of the 
Rectum; Erysipelas; Lice; Mange or Itch; Ruptures; Injuries in gen- 
eral. The most of these are readily recognized, and the reader will find 
their causes, symptoms and treatment sufficiently considered by reference 
to the articles upon the same disorders in the Horse. 



E3STID OIF PABTIT. 




:p^:r,t "v. 



THE DOG AND HIS DISEASES. 




:]19 




320 



PART V. 



THE DOG AND HIS DISEASES. 



INTRODUCTION. 



ORIGIN AND TRAITS. 




N the origin of the dog scientific men have differed 
widely. By some he has been declared a de- 
scendant of the wolf, and by others of the fox 
or jackal, and points of resemblance, such as 
cranial development, period of gestation, peculiarity 
of the eyes or carriage of the tail, have been cited 
in support of each theory. Still other writers 
have claimed he is of a distinct breed, and have 
ittempted to prove this by the assertion that, though 
he will breed with all of the above animals, the progeny of the cross 
i are incapable of propagation inter sc, thus proving they are true hybrids, 
or descendants of distinct species, it being a well-established principle that 
1 hybrids are sterile if bred together. This theory has, however, been 
completely refuted by observation of the dogs of the Indian tribes, as 
it has been proved beyond question that these cohabit with the wolves, 
foxes and coyotes, and that the progeny of these unions are as fertile 
as any others. From this fact modern authorities have come to the 
conclusion that the dog is a mongrel, descended from crosses between all 
the animals to which he bears resemblance, and raised to his present per- 
fection by selection and breeding for specific results. Animals in a state 
of nature vary but little if any from the original types, because they are 

321 



322 the; veterinary doctor. 

not subjected to any influences that would induce change. They dwell 
together according to their kind, often in packs or herds, and inbreed to a 
degree that would be ruinous but for the wise provision of nature which, 
through their ferocity and the law of force, secures the survival of the fit- 
test, and these, from the prepotency of past consanguineous unions and the un- 
varying character of life generation after generation, naturally reproduce 
the typical characteristics of the race. Domestication has changed other 
animals as radically as it has the dog. Climatic influences and the demand 
for new and different services, tending to induce breeders to develop classes 
capable of meeting these demands, are sufficient to account for even the 
variations in size and instinctive qualities which the dog of to-day displays. 
Upon any other tlieory it would be difficult to trace to a common ancestor 
such different types as the mastiff, weighing nearly two hundred pounds, and 
the toy-terrier, weighing only a few ounces; the setter, pointer, spaniel and 
hound, each instinctively taking to the pursuit of game, but each in different 
form from the others; the bull-dog, with his brutal instincts, and the New- 
foundland, with his amiable character and half-human intelligence. But when 
we remember that the most exaggerated specimens have been evolved from 
less-contrasting ancestors within the few years that fashion or special need 
has made them objects of desire, we can more easily regard them as abso- 
lute productions, and comprehend the effects of circumstances and influences 
extending back to the early ages of the world. 

The dog is, of all animals, essentially the friend and companion of man. 
From the earliest times of which we have any record we find him a dweller 
in the tent of his master, the playfellow of his children, his assistant in the 
chase, his guard at night, at all times a servant "faithful even unto death." 
The most ancient pictures and the sculpture of exhumed cities unite with 
poets and painters of modern times to commend his courage and devotion, 
and make the dog a synonym of constancy and zeal. Other animals share 
his servitude, and some may by circumstances or the peculiarities of their 
owners be admitted to companionship in a greater or less degree. The 
wild tribes of the desert necessarily depend upon their horses for both sub- 
sistence and safety in danger, and the love of an Arab for his horse, with 
the intelligence the latter acquires from the association, is well known to 
all who have read the history of the nomadic races. The cat is the favor- 
ite with some, but the cruelty and the treachery of his disposition unfit him 
for the general trust and affection given to the nobler dog. Individual fan- 
cies occasionally induce the admission of other animals into similar relations, 
but of all the brutes the dog alone is the ordinary associate of man, and a 
reasonable study of his habits and disposition will convince one that he is 
justly entitled to the distinction. 



THE DOG INTRODUCTION'. 323 

DIVISION OF BREEDS. 

Custom has divided the dogs of the English-speaking countries into 
■"sporting and non-sporting classes."' The former comprehends all that are 
used with the gun, hounds, fox-terriers and dachshunde; the latter, watch- 
dogs, sheep or cattle dogs, terriers generally, toy dogs, and those which may 
be classed under the general term "miscellaneous." "Stonehenge," who is 
recognized as one of the best authorities, divides these sub-classes as fol- 
lows: The dogs used with the gun are setters, pointers, spaniels and retrie- 
vers. The hounds comprise the greyhound which hunts by sight, the blood- 
hound, foxhound, harrier, beagle and otter hound, all of which follow their 
game by scent. Fox-terriers are divided into the rough and smooth varie- 
ties, and the dachshund is identical with the German badger dog. Watch- 
dogs include the mastiff; bulldog; Newfoundland; Labrador and lesser 
Newfoundland; the St. Bernard and the Dalmatian or coach dog. The 
last Youatt says is "used in his native country for the chase," and Stone- 
henge says "without doubt the Dalmatian is a pointer when at home," but 
■owing to the difference in his uses in his native country and elsewhere, 

I Stonehenge adds, he "has always been included in our shows among the dogs 
not used in field sports, and for this reason I have classed him among the 

I watch-dogs." The sheep and cattle dogs are the colly, the bob-tailed 
sheep dog, and the Pomeranian or Spitz which Stonehenge asserts is in his 

: native country "employed as a sheep dog." -Terriers are classed as rough 
and smooth, though there are also many which are properly described as 
nondescript, because, while possessing some of the attributes of certain 
breeds, they also differ too widely from the best types to be entered with 
them. The rough terriers are the Skye, both drop and prick eared; the 
Dandie Dinmont; the Bedlington; the Yorkshire and the Irish. The 
smooth varieties are the black and tan, or Manchester, the white English 
and the bull-terrier. The toy dogs, also divided into the rough and 
■smooth, are first, the King Charles and Blenheim spaniels, the Maltese dog 
and the rough toy-terrier; second, the pug, the Italian greyhound and the 
smooth toy-terrier. In an appendix Stonehenge mentions the poodles, both 
French and Russian; the truffle dog; the Chinese crested dog and the Great 
Dane, these not being properly dogs of the British Isles. 

USE£ OF THE DOG. 

Field sports have existed in Great Britain from the earliest times. They 
have always been the prerogative of the aristocracy and wealthy class and 
have been protected by severe forest and game laws. Of old the keeping 



324 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

of certain breeds of hounds was limited by royal edict to those of royal 
blood and others who enjoyed the privilege by special grant from the crown. 
Dogs which were permitted to persons of lower degree were also the sub- 
jects of special legislation, and if caught in the forests were mutilated by 
the keepers by having some of their toes struck off to prevent them from 
running the king's deer. As the more liberal spirit of modern times abol- 
ished the feudal laws, dogs in all varieties became the property of all who 
chose to breed or keep them, but their employment in field sports is still 
possible only to those who own or rent shootings, as the right to game has 
not yet been made a popular one. There has been a great outcry of late 
over the restriction of game to the wealthy class, and doubtless this is in some 
respects a hardship, but it is also certain that, if thrown open to the public r 
field sports in Great Britain will soon become a thing of the past, since,, 
from the demands of agriculture and the density of the population, game 
can only be kept up by artificial propagation and protection, entailing a 
heavy expense which wealthy men will not undertake when the sole right 
to the game is taken from them, and which the public cannot afford. Even 
as things are now, the use of pointers and setters has been almost discontin- 
ued over a large portion of England, as high farming has stripped the land 
of most of its cover for game, and the birds, from being constantly disturbed, 
have become so wild they will not lie to point. The moors of Scotland and 
Wales afford the best opportunities for shooting over pointers 'and setters, 
though on some of the large estates in England they are still used for 
partridges. 

Foreign pointers and setters are not allowed to retrieve, which necessi- 
tates the employment of a special breed for this purpose. At English 
shows there are classes for black and other than black retrievers. The 
former are the better liked for general work, and are divided into wavy and 
curly coated. Both are descended from the Labrador or lesser Newfound- 
land, either pure or cross-bred to the setter. Stonehenge says, "in the belief 
that the nose of the pure Labrador is inferior to that of the setter, 
I certainly should advise the cross-bred dog for use; but to be suc- 
cessful upon the show bench, the competitor should display as little as possi- 
ble of the setter." Size, to give them strength, is an essential in these 
dogs. Two noted prize winners were Mr. Gorse's Wyndham, wavy coated, 
and Jet, curly coated. They weighed eighty-five and seventy pounds re- 
spectively. The class for other than black includes the liver-colored dog 
sometimes found in litters from black parents, the color indicating span- 
iel-cross. All these dogs, as well as the Irish water spaniel, are used for 
wild-fowl retrieving, and in Scotland, for trailing up wounded deer, the 
colly, pure or cross-bred, divides public favor with the deerhound. 



THE DOG — INTRODUCTION. 325 

Spaniels arc extensively bred in several different varieties, the chief be- 
ing the Clumber, bred at the seat of the Duke of Newcastle in Nottingham- 
shire, the Sussex, Cocker, and the English and Irish water spaniel; the 
Water spaniels being used as retrievers, and the others for cover work on cock 
and pheasants, where beaters are not employed. 

The chase is a more general pursuit, being open to those who do not 
own or rent land but can afford horses and the other expenses incident to 
the sport. The fox, hare and stag are hunted on horseback, while beagles 
and otter hounds are followed on foot. In speaking of hounds, sporting 
law limits the name to bloodhounds, staghounds, foxhounds, harriers, bea- 
gles and otter hounds. Greyhounds are not included in the class because 
they run their game only by sight and are used for coursing. The deer- 
hound is not included because he is only used to find or retrieve wounded 
deer. Bloodhounds and staghounds are used for the stag, foxhounds for the 
fox, and harriers for the hare. Beagles are also used for hunting the hare, 
rabbits, or a drag, and otter hounds for the otter by the sides of the water- 
courses. Fox hunting is the national sport of England, and the number 
of packs kept is very large. A pack properly consists of twenty-five 
couples, but few are as large as this. They are kept up by subscription 
! among the " members of the hunt," that is, those who habitually hunt with 
I each pack. The pack is kept by one member, known as the " M. F. H.," 
or master of foxhounds, who appoints the " meets," and hunts the pack 
; with the assistance of a huntsman and helpers known as whips. The 
, huntsman has charge of the hounds in kennel, and when going to and 
returning from a hunt. 

Packs of staghounds are comparatively rare, as the stags are park- 
raised, and consequently less plentiful than foxes. One is known as Her 
| Majesty's Pack, and a few others are kept up in different portions of 
i England. Stonehenge says, "except in Devonshire and Somerset, the 
I staghound is not allowed to kill his quarry, being whipped off as soon as 
i the deer stands at bay." 

The harrier now differs from the foxhound but little in size and 
i appearance, being, in fact, largely inbred to the latter dog. Of the harrier 
j Stonehenge says, "breeders still take special care to have a combination of 
intelligence and high scenting power, sufficient to meet the wiles of the 
| hare, which are much more varied than those of the fox." He also raen- 
I tions the pack of Sir Vincent Corbett as being the most beautiful he has 
! ever seen, and claimed to be purely bred. 

Beagles afford great sport to those who like strong exercise on foot. 
[ The taste for this style of hunting is on the increase, and the packs consc- 
I quently increasing in numbers. Stonehenge says, "foot beagles should not 



326 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

much exceed nine inches in height; but for 'young England' they are now 
often used up to eleven or even twelve inches, going a pace which requires 
a good runner in prime condition to keep up with them." He also men- 
tions the most celebrated pack in England as follows: "A diminutive pack 
of rabbit beagles, the property of Mr. Crane, of Southover House, near 
Bere Regis, Dorset, contains the best patterns we have ever known. Mr. 
Crane's standard is nine inches, and every little hound is absolutely perfect."' 
This standard is kept up with great difficulty, owing to the inability of the 
dams to raise their whelps, and also to many deaths from distemper- 
Beagles were great favorites during the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and 
were bred as small as possible. "A pack of the Virgin Queen's (it is said)< 
could be carried in a man's glove." Stonehenge speaks very strongly of 
the benefit to be derived from beagle packs as training for fox hunting, and 
says: " We believe we are coi-rect in stating that ten or more of the most 
celebrated masters of the day learnt their first lessons with the meriy 
beagles." 

Otter hunting is followed during the summer, when most other sports 
of the field are out of season. Though popular, it is not extensively prac- 
tised, as otters are very destructive to fish, and so are destroyed whenever 
possible when frequenting noted fishing streams. In Cumberland and 
Devonshire there are many streams in which the fish are too small to afford 
much sport and here otter hunting is pursued with relish. There are also 
packs kept up bv subscription at Carlisle and Northumberland, and several 
private packs in Wales. As in this sport there is a gi'eat amount of water- 
work, it is essential that otter hounds shall have a rough, long coat, with 
an inner coat of thick, close wool, a point always regarded in breeding. 
They must also have very keen noses and deep, rich voices. 

To mention all classes of dogs as fully as I have spoken of those kept 
for sport would require more space than can be given to this article. I 
shall therefore pass the others over with very brief remarks and take up the 
matter of the breeds most used or kept in America. 

In the watch-dog class, the most prominent in point of size is the 
mastiff, which often weighs from one hundred and sixty to one hundred 
and eighty pounds, yet the gentleness of his disposition renders him a fit 
companion for children and ladies; in fact, some of the noted prize winners 
are owned by ladies, who take as much pride in their huge pets as others do 
in their toy terriers or delicate Italian greyhounds. 

The Newfoundland, to suit popular taste, must be black, though Sir 
Edward Landseer brought the black and whites into prominence through 
his paintings. The latter are not deemed purely bred, and are often ex- 
cluded from the regular classes and classed by themselves as " Landseers." 



THE DOG — INTRODUCTION. 327 

The St. Bernard has been imported to England, and is now very 
purely bred in both the smooth and rough varieties, though not such a 
general favorite as the mastiff or Newfoundland. 

The colly is probably more intelligent and highly educated than any 
other dog. By constant association with his master and daily participation 
hi his labors he develops an amount of special knowledge and general 
intelligence almost inconceivable. No other dog is so intimately connected 
with his master's daily life, and without his aid sheep-tending upon the 
moors would be practically impossible. The well authenticated reports of 
the duties performed by collies read like romances, and certainly show in 
the strongest possible light the elevating influence which association with 
man exerts upon the brute creation. 

The terriers and toys are practically pets and house dogs. Many of 
them are highly intelligent, sharp and useful in their stations, while others 
simply serve to gratify their master's fancy. 

DOGS IN AMERICA. 

In this country field sports are matters of comparatively recent date. 
Only a few years since a gentleman could not indulge in such pursuits 
without loss of business and social standing; but with the increase of wealth 
and consequently greater leisure, the love for sport natural to the Anglo- 
Saxon race has asserted itself, and proficiency in the field is now deemed a 
gentlemanly accomplishment. There is no country under the sun which 
affords more varied or better natural sporting facilities than our own. 
With an immense territorial area, crossed in every direction by railroads, 
with every variety of surface, from semi-wooded to prairie,' mountain and 
forest, game of all kinds, from the snipe, woodcock, quail and grouse, 
to the deer, elk, buffalo and bear, are at the command of all who care to 
seek them. State associations and local sporting clubs foster the love for 
the field, and the desire for dogs worthy of such a country has led to the im- 
portation of the best specimens, and to competition in public at shows and 
trials. A few years since our dogs were, as a class, far inferior to those of 
England, owing to the greater care gentlemen there had taken to keep 
up their strains. The last decade, however, has seen a revolution wrought 
in kennel matters, and we can confidently expect to have in the near future 
as fine dogs as any in the world. 

There are reasons why field sports will never be carried to the extent 
they are practiced abroad, and for the scant foothold which some of them 
will gain in popular favor. In the first place, they are here open to all, and 
as rich men are everywhere the exception, it follows that comparatively 



328 the veterinary doctor. 

few Americans can afford the costly appointments necessary for such 
development as these sports have attained to with the wealthy class of the 
mother country. Then, too, our trespass laws and the rights of land owners 
will prove an insurmountable obstacle to fox hunting proper. No man will 
stand the rush of a pack over his fields and the trampling of his crops and 
breaking of fences by horsemen. In England the hunt is supported by the 
class that owns the land, those who farm it being tenants. It is, too, a time- 
honored institution which all have been taught to regard with pride as a 
national sport. Here nothing of the kind exists; we have no class distinc- 
tions, and the man who owns a single acre is as strongly defended by the. 
law as his wealthy neighbor who owns a thousand. It will therefore be 
practically impossible ever to gain popular consent to the establishment of 
a sport which so large a portion of the community will deem prejudicial to 
its interests; and even if in certain localities of the Eastern States hunting 
is followed by a few clubs, it will never become widely spread or generally 
popular. 

The natural sequence of such limitation in sport is that certain varie- 
ties of dogs are either not at all or but little used in this country. We have 
but very few retrievers, because a majority of our sportsmen keep but one 
dog and break that one to retrieve as well as point. On certain parts of the 
coast, and by the great rivers and lakes, men who make a practice of wild- 
fowl shooting keep dogs for retrieving, as water work when the weather 
is cold is very hard on ordinary field dogs, whose coats are not suited for it; 
but through a great portion of the West even this shooting is had under 
circumstances that admit of the use of field dogs. 

The hound class is also a small one, and made up of few varieties. 
Foxhounds are broken to follow all kinds of furred game, according to the 
section in which such dogs are kept. Deer, foxes, and the hare, commonly 
called rabbit, are all killed before dogs of the same breed, and consequently 
there is no demand for those used abroad for each variety of sport. Beagles 
have been brought out of late, and our shows call together some fine speci- 
mens. They are however little used in the field, nor will they probably be 
so long as the larger hound is so generally useful. 

The greater part of our sporting is done over setters and pointers. 
These are now bred from the best strains obtainable from crack English 
kennels, and single dogs costing $1,000 or upward have been imported by 
both clubs and private individuals. The setter is best adapted to general 
sporting, as his coat and spaniel-origin fit him for work which the pointer is 
comparatively ill-suited for. There are three great divisions of the setter 
family, viz.: The English, Irish, and Gordon, each differing materially from 
the others, and each with its warm friends and supporters among sportsmen. 



THE DOG INTRODUCTION. 32'J 

'he pointers have no such natural division, but, though of one general race, 
thev are divided into different classes according to size in show classification. 
Certain families, too, have their own colors, or rather colors to which the 
representatives of those strains closelv conform, and which therefore serve 
as family marks. From his thin coat and indifference to heat the pointer is 
specially suited for work on dry prairies, or in the extreme Southern States. 
His advocates proclaim him the equal of the setter in all ways and places, 
but this is not the general opinion, and he is consequently not as common 
as his long-haired rival. Field spaniels are used by a few sportsmen who 
like their style of work in cover, but taking the country through, these do«s 
might be included in the non-sporting classes without seriously affecting our 
sporting interests. 

The non-sporting classes are always well represented in shows, and are 
growing in favor daily. Within a few years most varieties of terriers and 
toy dogs have been introduced into the country, and good specimens of the 
mastiff and Newfoundland are becoming quite common. Sheep dogs are 
deservedly coming into favor, and will soon be largely bred for use on farms 
and cattle ranches. Trials similar to those abroad have recently been insti- 
tuted, and the colly will become an important factor of our canine population. 

DISEASES AND CARE OF DOGS. 

Domestication, by inducing an artificial life, has naturally had in some 
ways a bad effect upon all animals subjected to it. The dog in a state of 
nature has probably but few ills apart from those consequent upon old age; 
but when domesticated, and especially when finely bred, he suffers from 
many diseases similar to those of man, and requiring similar treatment. 
When dogs were worth but a few dollars there was nothing to induce scien- 
tific men to study their ills, but with their present values, and especially with 
the interest awakened in them by the love for the field, which is shared as 
well by medical men as by others, the attention of the faculty has been 
called to the treatment of canine diseases, and they are fast approaching the 
point when they will be as well understood as those of any other class of 
patients. 

Dogs need comfortable quarters, good food, combining meat, vegetables 
and breadstuff; in due proportion, and also plenty of exercise. The latter 
is more generally neglected than the former, and to such neglect is due most 
of the ills from which dogs suffer. Properly attended to, dogs cost but little 
trouble, and repay this a thousand-fold. 



330 THK VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT.* 

HYDROPHOBIA.— RABIES.— MADNESS. 

This fearful malady is liable to occur in any dog, and is therefore a 
source of dread to many people when near one of the species. It results 
from a specific virus which passes into the system by infection, whether by a 
bite or by any other means of introduction through a break in the skin or 
mucous membrane. The most playful bite of an affected animal has the 
same effect as a malicious one. It affects either sex, not the male only, as 
has been supposed. It is more prevalent in winter and the damp cold 
weather of spring, and is not, in any sense, peculiar to "dog days" and 
other hot weather, as is popularly believed. 

Symptoms. — The wound from the bite rapidly heals, usually without 
inflammation. During a period thereafter, varying from three weeks to 
eight months, though usually not more than six weeks, no symptoms are 
noticeable. The disease, after this period, will develop in one of two 
forms, the violent or the sullen, a distinction too often unobserved. In the 
violent form, after the weeks of incubation, the animal is sullen for a few 
hours, or even three or four days; then is ii'ritable or violently mad for three 
or four days, and in the third stage becomes more calm, weaker, and dies 
after being in this stage a few days. In the sullen form, the dog passes 
through the first and third of the stages just indicated, the violent period 
being absent or being much less marked by excitement, motion and biting. 
The absence of this violence should not be considered proof that hydro- 
phobia does not exist. Mr. Youatt, who is widely quoted as the highest 
authority on this malady in dogs, has epitomized the detailed symptoms in 
the two forms substantially as follows: 

I. In the violent form, after the period of sullenness, which lasts a 
few hours, possibly days, there are increased sensitiveness and muscular activ- 
ity, a disposition to bite, and a continued peculiarity in the bark, the last 
being a very noticeable indication. The animal becomes changed in habits 
and disposition, licks or carries stones, sticks, and like substances, is restless and 
snaps in the air, though still obedient and kind to his master. Soon the appe- 
tite is disgustingly depraved, so that the urine and excrement from the bowels 
are eaten, or there is a loss of appetite and thirst; swelling of the tongue 
and mouth; redness, dullness, and half-closing of the eyes; wrinkling of 
the skin on the forehead; roughness and staring of the hair; unsteadiness 
and staggering in the gait; periodic biting, snapping immediately after ap- 

* Read the remarks on "Anatomy and Physiology" page d.1. 



THE DOG DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. 331 

pea ring quiet and kind. In the latter stages, paralysis takes place in the 
limbs; spasms affect breathing and swallowing; the external surface 
becomes irritable, and sensitiveness is increased; convulsions may come on. 
These symptoms come and go, with periods of comparative health between 
them, and are often excited by touch, sight or hearing, especially by seeing 
or hearing another dog. 

2. The stdlen form is marked by shyness and depression, with no in- 
clination to bite, and no dread of fluids. The clog is unnaturally quiet, 
depressed in spirits, haggard and suspicious, refusing food and seeking close 
retirement. The breathing is hard; the bark rough, harsh and changed in 
tone; the lower jaw drops down, the tongue hangs out and saliva constantly 
flows, the dog perhaps seeming to try to paw it off the lips; the breathing 
grows more labored; there are trembling, vomiting and convulsions. 

It should be noticed that, not only are the violent symptoms absent in 
some cases, or much reduced, but there is not the inevitable repulsion to 
water which is almost universally supposed to exist, and which gave rise to 
the name hydrophobia, that is, "dread of water." That the animal may 
be thrown into violent spasms at the sight of water, after swallowing has 
become difficult or impossible, is undoubtedly true in many cases, but not 
always. When it is the case, it is a result of involuntary muscular action,, 
and not of a conscious dread of the water; for thirst may be pronounced in 
this disease. It has even been reported that, in the fever-stage, a mad dog 
has been known to plunge his head into water, as if to cool himself. Hence, 
the test of placing water before a dog suspected of infection is not reliable. 
Besides, if the sight of water does produce spasms, it is only in the more 
violent stages, when other symptoms are quite as marked. Again, the 
frothing at the mouth is not so frequent as is supposed, indeed, not as certain 
to occur as in epilepsy, or when the jaw is paralyzed. The tail carried 
between the legs is a symptom not so significant as most people suppose, 
for it is quite as often elevated. 

Treatment. — To prevent the development of the disease, as soon as 
the bite has been inflicted thrust down into it some small iron or other 
metal raised to a red (better white) heat, not merely a black heat, until a 
thorough searing of the flesh all around the wound has been effected. A 
point of lunar caustic (nitrate of silver) may be used for such cauterization, 
but is not so good as the iron. If neither is at hand, grasp the wound with 
the fingers and forcibly squeeze it so as to drive the blood from the bottom, 
carefully avoiding contact of the blood with any break in the skin, repeat- 
ing a few times to remove all the poison if possible. It is always best to 
apply a ligature close to the bite, on the side toward the heart. If the bite 
has not been cauterized, wash it at once with cold water, putting in a few 



332 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

drops of belladonna if it is at hand, and cauterize it as soon as practicable. 
After cauterization, keep on compresses of water and belladonna until the 
wound is thoroughly healed, and give a drop of belladonna internally every 
day or alternate day for six weeks. 

If a dog only suspected of being bitten by a mad animal has bitten 
any person or beast, keep him confined until the full period of development 
of the disease has passed (even up to eight months), so that all doubt as to 
whether the person or beast has been infected may be removed, meanwhile 
giving the patient belladonna internally as directed above. Otherwise, a 
suspected dog should be killed, unless he has a special value. Any vicious, 
snapping cur, as being specially liable to madness, should be killed. Of 
course, a dog known to be mad will be immediately killed. If any person 
has been bitten by an infected or suspected dog, see Hydrophobia in Man. 

DISTEMPER. 

Distemper seems almost like an inborn disease with most dogs, and 
more frequently develops in superior breeds. It is most common in pups, 
which are also more apt to recover. It comes on more often in the spring 
.and autumn, in the latter of these more often than in the former. If it 
results from a natural predisposition, those animals are more susceptible 
to its development which are kept housed; those also which have flesh-food, 
.are more liable to it than those not having it. The primary symptoms, 
which usually escape notice at first, are general dullness; failing appetite and 
flesh; short cough and vomiting; impatience at being disturbed; watery 
■eyes, pained by light. Later, the animal shivers fitfully; persistently seeks 
a hiding-place; has a more rapid pulse; matter accumulates on the eyelids 
and finally glues them together, and a yellowish mucus obstructs the 
nostrils; cough grows more frequent, with very offensive vomiting; in- 
creased shivering; rapid wasting of the body; hot skin; warm paws; 
standing, dull coat. In about a week apparent improvement sets in. A 
renewal of the disease will very probably occur, with aggravated symptoms, 
such as weakness in the hind legs, the dog after some days dragging himself 
along, though not often when older than one ye;ir. In this condition there 
may be another apparent improvement, but a relapse is pretty certain, 
with intensified force. If the eyes are still blood-shot, and the flesh con- 
tinues reduced, there is danger yet. In fatal cases, death generally occurs 
the third or fourth week, six weeks being the common duration of other 
attacks. 

Treatment. — Nux vomica alone has cured many cases, if given in 
the first stage, as it always should be, when there is loss of appetite, with 



THE DOG DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. 333 

watery discharge from the nose, cough, vomiting, and constipation. Give 
belladonna if the eyes are inflamed, watery and sensitive to light, and for 
dry nose, twitching of muscles, the animal trying to hide and starting when 
asleep. Arsenicum is needed for loss of strength, flesh and appetite, thick, 
offensive, perhaps bloody nasal discharge, and for diarrhoea. Phosphorus 
is invaluable for quick breathing, offensive sticky discharge in the eyes, 
painful cough; bloody froth in the mouth, and paralysis of any parts. 
Give sulphur for symptoms which return after an apparent recovery, and 
sustain the strength with tonics, as gentian, quinine and Fowler's Solution. 
In the way of diet, which is always of the first importance, give cold milk, 
rice, coarse bread, and an abundance of cold, fresh water. Avoid animal 
food, grease, sugar and dainties. Observe absolute cleanliness. Keep the 
bed away from the fire, but let it be warm and airy, the bedding being hay 
or straw, changed every day, and always being dry. 

APOPLEXY. 

Apoplexy is a sudden partial or complete loss of consciousness and 
power of motion, and may attack any dog, though pet dogs, if kept fat. 
are peculiarly subject to it. It is caused by pressure on the brain from ab- 
normal flooding of the blood-vessels. At first there may be drowsiness, a 
staggering walk, and twitching of some muscles ; but the attack may be sud- 
den, the dog falling quickly, immovable and apparently dying, though he 
I generally revives in a few hours. 

Treatment. — The treatment will be found under Apoplexy in the 
Horse. Rich and over-abundant food and luxurious housing tend to an ex- 
cess and impurity of the blood most favorable to apoplexy. A simpler 
habit of life is highly important. 

PARALYSIS. 

Paralysis is a loss of jjower and feeling in certain muscles, and is caused 
by injury, diseased brain, sexual excess, rheumatism, distemper, mange, or 
inflammation of the bowels. Though it may affect any of the muscles, or 
even the whole body, it usually attacks the hind legs, the dog dragging 
them while he walks with the fore legs. 

Treatment. — Give nux vomica if the cause is not known, or if there 
be constipation and vomiting. When paralysis follows unusual exertion, ex- 
posure to wet, rheumatism or mange, give rhus. Insure perfect quiet and 
good food. Rubbing the paralyzed parts with the hand is beneficial. If 
the case is bad and persistent, kill the dog. 



334 the; veterinary doctor. 

EPILEPSY. 

Epilepsy is a sudden and violent spasm of the muscles, lasting ten 
minutes or more. It is usually hereditary, though it may result from an 
injury to the head, disorders in teething, eating too much raw flesh, and 
worms in the bowels. 

In an attack the animal suddenly staggers and falls, often with a dis- 
tressing bark; violently struggles; foams at the mouth, perhaps with blood 
flowing from bites on the tongue ; the legs generally grow stiff; the eyes 
roll wildly; the face twitches. Consciousness gradually returns, and the 
dog seems perfectly well until another attack comes on. 

Treatment. — Use the remedies prescribed for Epilepsy in the Horse. 
All food given to a dog subject to epilepsy should be cooked. During an 
attack, keep a stick between the jaws to prevent biting of the tongue. 

CANKER IN THE MOUTH. 

This is a very troublesome disorder, and if the disease result from 
long-continued irritation, or be in an old dog, it is deemed incurable. Its 
symptoms are swollen gums, discharging blood; offensive matter; proud 
flesh; bleeding; difficulty in eating; loss of appetite, flesh and strength. 

Treatment. — In recent cases, or in young dogs of general good 
health, wash out the mouth once daily for several days with a solution of 
two grains of nitrate of silver to four ounces of water, using a tooth-brush 
in the application. Hydrastis, internally and externally, may be good. 

SALIVATION.— SLOBBERS. 

An overdose of mercury, or the use of mercurial ointments for skin 
•disorders, sometimes produces salivation, of which the symptoms are 
swollen gums and lips, loose teeth, swollen and red tongue, profuse and 
constant flow of saliva from the mouth, very offensive breath, easy falling 
of hair, diarrhoea and straining. 

Treatment. — Give two drops of nitric acid three times a day. 
Wash the mouth out with warm water and honey. Keep the dog in a 
warm, dry place, with clothing if necessary to comfort, and feed him well. 

INDIGESTION. 

Indigestion may result from overfeeding, Improper food, want of ex- 
ercise or reduced vitality. Its symptoms are restlessness; reduced appetite; 



THE DOG DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. 335 

frequently attempted vomiting, generally with little thrown out, and that 
"being froth and green fluid; foul breath; irregular action of the bowels; 
distended bellv, poor or depraved appetite; rolling on the ground. 

Treatment. — Give nux vomica for vomiting of frothy, green fluid; 
constipation; drowsiness; useful also for pet dogs. Pulsatilla is valuable 
for cases resulting from rich food; flatulence; especially for delicate, high- 
bred dogs with a tendency to diarrhoea. Insure regular exercise, and 
"wholesome, digestible food in only moderate quantities. 

VOMITING. 

Vomiting is such an easy matter for a dog that it not only occurs as a 
frequent symptom of some disease, but even when food disagrees only a 
little with the animal. In the slight troubles last named, it needs no atten- 
tion unless it be often repeated. 

Treatment. — If vomiting occurs daily for some time, change the 
food. If it then persists, use remedies. Creosote is needed for continual 
vomiting, unsuccessful attempts at vomiting, and vomiting while in pup. 
Cocculus is needed for nausea after eating, and small quantities thrown out; 
and ipecac for throwing out all the meal soon after eating, as well as for 
diarrhoea or dysentery. Provide good food and outdoor exercise. 

I 

INFLAMMATION OF THE STOMACH.— GASTRITIS. 

i < 

This is caused by damp lodgings, drinking cold water when heated, 
rich food, indigestion, and poisons. The dog evinces great pain ; throws 
himself down, rolls and kicks; lies on any cold surface; constantly craves 
water, but throws it up as soon as it is swallowed; retching; cold extremi- 
ties; dry, hot nose; quick breathing; anxious countenance. 

Treatment. — Give no food or drink but cold water, until all symp- 
toms disappear; then, for several days, only cold milk, oatmeal-gruel, and 
the like. Choose remedies from those given for Gastritis in the Horse. If 
poisons are the cause, they are to be removed and antidotes given as 
directed under Gastritis in the Horse, and in the Index of Poisons. 

INFLAMMATION OF THE BOWELS.— ENTERITIS. 

This painful disorder results from drinking cold water when the dog is 
heated, sudden changes to cold or damp weather, clamp, shady lodgings, 
too constant use of animal food, colic, constipation, foreign bodies in the 
bowels, and the like. The symptoms are very active, such as hot, very 



336 the; veterinary doctor. 

tender abdomen ; constant violent pain, sometimes causing the dog to throw 
himself violently down, howl, spring up, walk about, and again throw him- 
self; these violent actions continue until relief is given, or, in fatal cases, 
subside just before death. There is no appetite, but constant thirst, and 
constipation followed by loose, bloody evacuations. 

Treatment. — Apply fomentations of hot water to the abdomen un- 
til the symptoms abate. Allow the dog to lap cold water. After the se- 
vere symptoms subside, give milk and broth, but no solid food until re- 
covery is established. The remedies are named under Enteritis in the Horse. 

DYSENTERY. 

Dysentery is caused by exposure to cold, bad food, damp lodgings, 
worms, stagnant water for the drink. The symptoms are shivering at first; 
hot skin; quick, small pulse; short, hurried breathing; vomiting; the dog 
turns his head to his flanks, the body being tucked up and the loins arched ; 
afterward, loose bowels, with almost constant straining to empty them, re- 
sulting in watery evacuations containing blood and lumps. 

Treatment. — Give mercurius corrosivus if the evacuations are 
bloody, with great straining before and after tnern. Arsenicum is needed 
for constant thirst, great weakness, with trembling of the limbs when 
lying down, and very offensive evacuations; hamamelis, for black evacua- 
tions followed by much bleeding. Sulphur often effects a cure after other 
remedies have failed. Keep the bed warm and dry and feed a cold diet, as. 
milk, rice and milk, and the like, but no solid food before recovery. Mut- 
ton-broth will often alone effect a cure, without resort to any medicines. 

COLIC— GRIPES. 

Colic, or spasm of the intestines, is caused by cold, constipation, bad 
diet, worms, and, in puppies, by disordered milk of the mother. It is 
marked by fitful pains, the dog turning, rolling and moaning, such spells 
being followed by perfect ease. 

Treatment. — Nux vomica is needed for constipation and short 
spasms. Relief will often be afforded by injections of warm water; also 
by applying to the belly pieces of flannel wrung out in hot water. 

CONSTIPATION. 

This is caused by improper food, want of exercise, and deficient secre- 
tion of digestive fluids. It is both a symptom of many diseases and leads to 



THE DOG- DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. 337 

many. In addition to the frequent unsuccessful efforts to empty the bowels, 
there will be restlessness; flatulence; colic; hot, dry nose. 

Treatment. — Medicines may be selected from those given for Con- 
stipation in the Horse. Use repeated injections of warm water, first 
thoroughly removing all hard fasces that may be near the anus. If consti- 
pation is habitual in an animal, look well to the diet. A small quantity of 
raw meat once daily may correct the trouble. Other articles suitable as 
diet are well boiled oatmeal porridge, coarse flour cakes, meat boiled in 
water to a thick porridge. Insure free outdoor exercise. 

INFLAMMATION OF THE LIVER. 

This is a common disease among dogs, generally in a chronic form, 
and is especially frequent in over- fed and much-petted animals. It is 
caused by cold, damp, want of exercise, excessive heat, and injuries. The 
symptoms are much varied, among them being shivering, followed by in- 
creased heat in the skin; desire for retirement; loss of appetite and flesh; 
thirst; cough, followed by vomiting of yellow or greenish fluid, perhaps 
tinged with blood; yellow hue on the lips, eyes, ears and, later, the whole 
skin; wasting may reduce the animal to a pinched-up skeleton in fatal cases. 

Treatment.- — Treat the same as Inflammation of the Liver in the 
Ox. Give only cooked food, in small quantities and regularly. If, how- 
ever, the animal is not prized as a pet, its cure will scarcely be worth the 
I pains required, even if one knows what the disorder is. 

WORMS. . 

Worms are found in dogs almost universally. Three kinds exist in the 
intestines, most likely introduced in the food and drink, namely, the round 
! worm, resembling the earth-worm, which sometimes passes up into the 
i stomach and is vomited up; the maw- worm, resembling a short piece of 
I white thread; the tape-worm, of great length, formed in segments or joints. 
1 Each kind is likely to cause some special symptoms. The first one, for ex- 
j ample, in addition to the general indications named below, may even pass 
I up through the throat into the nose and cause much irritation. The maw- 
worm produces itching at the rectum. The tape-worm causes colic, con- 
vulsions, distension of the abdomen, constipation, and inflammation of the 
bowels. While the discharge ot worms is an unmistakable symptom, their 
presence is also indicated by dullness, restlessness, depression, bad temper, 
short, dry cough, offensive breath, appetite variable, often enormous, dry, 
shaggy hair, loss of flesh, constipation or diarrhoea. 



338 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

Treatment. — Cina is the most valuable general remedy, and is alone 
often sufficient. Urtica urens is to be given when the dog slides along on 
his haunches, or when maw-worms are known to exist. Another good 
treatment for maw-worms is a daily injection of a half-ounce of garlic poured 
on two ounces of boiling water, the fluid being cooled and strained before it 
is used. Felix mas is especially efficacious for tape-worm. Santonine is in- 
valuable for round worms when other remedies fail. Sulphur may bene- 
ficially follow other remedies. An entire change of diet may be necessary. 

CHOKING. 

In eating, the dog may be troubled by a piece of bone, gristle, or other 
substance lodging in the throat. He coughs, is restless, can not swallow, 
seems to be trying to remove the obstruction with his paw, while mucus es- 
capes from the nose and mouth, and the eyes are red and prominent. 

Treatment. — Open the mouth as wide as possible and pour in warm 
water until the dog vomits. This may remove the obstruction. If it fails, 
draw it out with forceps, if it is within reach. Should these expedients fail, 
use a piece of whalebone, or smooth, tough stick, protected at the end with 
a piece of sponge dipped in oil, to push the obstructing body into the stom- 
ach. If all such means ai*e unsuccessful, a skillful operator may open the 
oesophagus. If this canal is known to be injured, or if there has been con- 
siderable effort made in the removal of the obstruction, give arnica two or 
three times a day for several days, a milk diet being meanwhile provided. 

INFLAMMATORY FEVER. 

Dogs of all breeds and ages, but especially when from one to' three 
years old, are subject to inflammatory fever. Though it is usually the re- 
sult of some inflammation, internal or external, it may be caused by any 
sudden changes in the temperature of the body, or by unusual excitement. 
At first, the animal is very sluggish and drowsy, afterward showing ex- 
treme restlessness, much thirst, quick, hard pulse, rapid breathing, swollen, 
watery eyes, burning heat all over, dry, hot nose and mouth, increasing 
restlessness, perhaps unconsciousness. 

Treatment. — Give aconite at first, especially for dry, furred tongue; 
great thirst; thick, dark urine. It will often effect a cure. Arsenicum is 
needed for hot, dry nose; extreme thirst; high heat of the body, especially 
in the legs and feet. Belladonna is useful for much restlessness and uncon- 
sciousness. Opium is needed for a sluggish state, and arnica when an in- 
jury is the cause. Avoid extreme changes of temperature. 



THE DOG DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. 339 

PUTRID AND NERVOUS FEVER. 

If shut up in dirty lodgings, or fed on damaged or decaying food, or if 
subjected to undue heat or effort, dogs may be attacked with this form of 
fever. The symptoms are loss of appetite; restlessness; fitful shivering; 
•dull, heavy look; starting; howling; spasms; eager thirst; quick, small 
pulse; high-colored urine passed in small quantities; offensive excretions of 
the skin and bowels; death in a few days, if not early treated. 

Treatment. — Aconite is highly useful in the first stages for fever, 
restlessness, and offensive, high-colored urine. Gelseminum is needed for 
sudden weakness, loss of motion, and jerking of muscles. Give belladonna 
for glistening eyes, hanging tongue, and unconsciousness. Furnish dry, 
cool lodgings, with frequent supplies of cold water. Give small allowances 
of cold milk, with a little bread in it if the animal will eat it. 

SMALL-POX. 

This is more common in young dogs, and results from contagion. The 
symptoms are fever; patches without hair, becoming red, then covered with 
small spots, like insect-bites, which increase and grow pale in the center, 
■with a red circle around the edge. In five or six days these sj:>ots contain a 
clear fluid, which soon turns yellow, the tops become hollow, and then 
break. Scabs form and fall off. The breath and excrement are disgusting. 
A return of appetite, with cool, moist nose, indicates recovery. But the 
animal should be killed at once if the symptoms progress, the nose being hot, 
tongue hanging, thirst great, breathing hard, with constipation and increased 
color in the spots; or if the spots do not rise above the skin, or if they run 
together. 

Treatment. — Antimonium tartaricum is desirable when the eruption 
is clearly seen; belladonna for delirium; mercurius if saliva fills the mouth, 
and if there be bad breath and diarrhoea. A dose or two of sulphur is de- 
sirable to complete a successful treatment. Furnish cool, airy lodgings, 
without draughts; sprinkle the place often with carbolic acid. Change the 
bedding every day, and burn it, with evacuations of the bowels. 

RHEUMATISM. 

Stiffness and tenderness of the fore legs and chest in dogs are known 
as rheumatism, and are especially common in those kept for the house or 
sporting. It is caused by sudden cold or dampness, plunging into water 
when hot, a cold, wet bed, and over-exercise. It is marked by stiff fore legs 



340 the veterinary doctor. 

and shoulders, with hard, tender muscles of the chest; swollen, hot, tender 
knees; hastened breath; poor appetite; dry, hot nose; howling upon put- 
ting the foot down. 

Treatment. — Select medicines from those given for Rheumatism in 
the Horse. Give no meat diet, and keep the animal warm, dry and out of 
bad weather. 

COLD.— CATARRH.— SNIFFLES. 

This is usually in the form of an inflammation of the mucous mem- 
brane of the nose, occurring especially in dogs that are kept in warm lodg- 
ings. It may end in distemper, bi-onchitis, or other disorders of the respi- 
ratory organs. Its chief cause is change of temperature, and its symptoms 
are running discharge from the eyes and nose, sneezing, failing appetite, 
hastened breathing, dullness, heaviness, sleepiness. 

Treatment. — Give aconite at first, for quick breathing, shivering, 
hot surface, and uneasiness; nux vomica for sneezing, dry cough, loss of 
appetite, thirst, unsuccessful attempts at vomiting, and constipation. Mer- 
curius is needed for thick, clogging discharge from the nostrils, nose alter- 
nately hot and cold, eyes inflamed and glued together, and swelling of the 
throat. Keep the animal constantly in a warm place a day or two, feeding 
him milk or thin oatmeal-gruel, with plenty of water to drink. Sponge 
the nose with tepid water several times daily. 

SORE THROAT. 

Damp lodgings or sudden exposure to cold when heated will produce 
sore throat. The first symptoms are sneezing and hoarse cough, followed 
by alternate heat and cold in the ears and nose; noisy breathing; swelling 
about the jaws and throat; difficult swallowing; the swelling may extend to 
the front of the neck and, if very bad, cause suffocation. 

Treatment. — Aconite is to be given at the beginning for fever and 
difficult breathing. Then choose remedies from the list given for Sore- 
Throat in the Horse. Frequently apply to the throat cloths dipped in hot 
water, and give cold water to drink at short intervals. The diet should consist 
of milk and broths. Keep the dog in a warm, dry place, free from draughts.. 

ASTHMA. 

This disorder, characterized by alternate periods of fever and difficult 
breathing, occurs most frequently in fat and petted dogs, as a result of close 



THE DOG DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. 341 

confinement, over-feeding, and want of outdoor exercise. It begins with a 
cough, so slight and irregular in recurrence that it is likely to escape notice, 
but growing more frequent, annoying, dry, harsh, and sounding as if there 
was choking; changes in temperature or food aggravate the cough, so that 
it is nearly incessant, disturbs sleep, and causes nausea and discharges of 
mucus from the respiratory organs; the breathing is disordered, perhaps 
bainful; digestion deranged; appetite failing or morbid; breath offensive; 
hair shaggy; skin mangy. The animal may succumb to suffocation or to ex- 
haustion from coughing; may be seized with convulsions; or, more com- 
monly, is attacked by dropsy (to the treatment of which the reader should 
refer in such cases), though suffocation will generally follow this issue of 
asthma. 

Treatment. — Treat promptly in the beginning; if not, a cure will 
not be effected, though relief can be given in later stages. Give nux 
vomica every four hours on the days when there is an aggravation of the 
symptoms; at other times, give arsenicum three times daily. For par- 
oxvsms of difficult breathing, with inclination to vomit, give ipecac every 
three or four hours during the paroxysms. Provide the best and most 
nutritious food, in small quantities, but often. Secure daily exercise in the 

I open air, except in cold, damp or sultry weather. 

I 

BRONCHITIS. 

i 

Bronchitis is an inflammation, acute or chronic, of the mucous mem- 
brane of the lungs, caused by sudden changes in temperature, draughts of 
air in the lodgings, or standing in the cold when heated. Its first symptoms 
resemble those of cold, namely, shivering and short, hard cough; later, a con- 

| stant, distressing cough, dry at first, then with sticky mucus; symptoms of 

' fever; quickened pulse and breathing; dullness; failing appetite; anxious 
look in the face; nose hot and dry at the commencement, but moist when 
inflammation subsides. In chronic cases, there is a cough during the winter, 
coming on after changes in the weather, and attended with short breath and 

] wheezing. 

Treatment. — The appropriate remedies can be readily selected from 

! those prescribed for Bronchitis in the Horse. During treatment keep the 
dog in the house, in a warm temperature. Milk and bread are the best diet, 
flesh being especially avoided. Supply fresh water all the time. Meat- 
broth may be given to old dogs that are very weak. The disease is one to 
which the dog is more liable than is generally supposed. It may often be 
avoided by a proper sheltering of an animal after it has become heated by 
a hard run. 



342 the; veterinary doctor. 

INFLAMMATION OF THE LUNGS.— PNEUMONIA. 

Pneumonia, a frequent affection in dogs, is an inflammation of the sub- 
stance of the lungs, and is thus different from bronchitis, which affects only the 
mucous membrane. It is caused by sudden exposure to cold, bathing with- 
out drying carefully, clipping in bad weather, and sometimes by distemper, 
catarrh and bronchitis. The symptoms are quite marked: At first, shiver- 
ing; tender sides; short, painful cough; fore legs wide apart; pulse quick and 
hard in the beginning, but becoming gentler and not easily felt; nose hot and 
dry, with inside membrane redder than normal; hanging tongue; breathing 
hurried and labored; the animal sits on his haunches, with the head 
stretched out and mouth open, and seldom lies down. The lungs may 
completely fill up, giving a dull, heavy sound if struck. 

Treatment. — Give aconite, at first, for hot skin, quick and obstructed 
breathing, full, quick pulse, and shivering. Camphor is useful for shivering,, 
dullness, small, quick pulse, and hurried breathing. A short, dry cough, 
with grunting at every breath, calls for bryonia. Bromine is useful if it is- 
known that the air-tubes are filling up, or if the inflammation keeps up and 
threatens suppuration. Use it internally and by inhalation. Furnish a dry,, 
warm bed, but not in a warm, close room. Insure fresh air, free from cold 
and draughts. Use covering if the weather is cold. Give fresh, cold water, 
milk, gruel and broth, avoiding solid food. 

PLEURISY. 

This is an inflammation of the membrane which lines the cavity of the 
chest, and may result from cold and wet, atmospheric changes, or distem- 
per, or it may be a complication of pneumonia. There is first shivering, 
then fever, twitching of the muscles, short, quick, irregular breathing, pain- 
ful, suppressed cough, and pain from pressing the side. The dog stands or 
sits all the time. Swelling on the legs, chest and belly indicates the super- 
vention of dropsy in the chest. 

Treatment. — Choose remedies from those given for Pneumonia in 
the Horse, and observe the same particulai"s as to lodgings, clothing and food 
as were mentioned for Pneumonia in the last article above. 

COUGH. 

Nearly always a cough is symptomatic of disease, and when it appears, 
should be compared with the cough noted in each of the diseases of the 
respiratory organs considered above, to ascertain what is threatened, 



THE DOG DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. B43 

and what general measures are needed. High feeding may cause cough; 
in which case the amount of food should be diminished, exercise taken, and 
antimonium carbonicum be administered. If the cough arises from going 
into the water, or being washed in warm water in winter, or being confined 
in a low, damp situation, give aconite and mercurius, the cough in such 
cases being harsh, hard, and attended with vomiting of tough mucus. 

ECZE MA.— SURFEIT. 

This results from a hereditary tendency, and is not contagious. It is 
often mistaken for mange, the remarks on which the reader should com- 
pare with the present ones. The hereditary germs of the disease will be 
developed by insufficient exercise, food that is unwholesome or given in too 
large or too small quantities, close lodgings, dirty, hard, or too luxurious 
bedding, or barley-straw bed, and flesh-food also encourages it. 

Sy?npto?ns. — Continual scratching; inflamed patches from which flows 
a fluid that mats the hair, and forms scabs which come off and leave the 
skin bare, inflamed, and discharging a thin, watery fluid; this fluid dries and 
forms scales, which the dog rubs, as he does the scabs, until pustular erup- 
tions form and present the appearance of general ulceration. The af- 
fected patches will oftenest be found on the back and inside of the thighs. 
In fat, over-fed animals the skin is robbed of the hair, becomes very thick 
in places and is deprived of feeling, so that pinching is agreeable instead of 
painful; the dog is a repulsive sight, lies around, dull, sleeping, scratching, 
biting and licking the sores; is wrinkled, chapped, ulcerated and of a foul 
smell, the skin discharging all the time a disgusting mattery fluid. The 
disease may be of a local character; for example, in sporting dogs it attacks 
the toes and feet especially, sometimes exclusively. Whatever its extent, 
however, its duration is uncertain, its cure difficult, and its return likely to 
occur, as may be expected in a hereditary disease. 

Treatment. — Rhus is needed for redness of skin; blotches; cracked 
skin; small yellowish pimples, which run together. Mercurius is invalua- 
ble for eruptions that become pustular after a while, or those which are 
once dry, then moist. For burning heat, great itching, scaly eruptions, 
Dustules becoming ulcerous, and for advanced cases attended with diarrhoea, 
weakness, loss of flesh and distended abdomen, give arsenicum. Insure 
absolute cleanliness. Wash the sores gently with tepid water and dry at 
once. Use a lotion of rhus when giving the same internally. Repeatedly 
change the bed and air the lodgings, providing a full supply of fresh water, 
and giving free, moderate open-air exercise. Be careful in the diet. 
Allow no flesh at all, except perhaps from one ounce to two, according to 



344 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

the size of the animal, to sustain life after more than three days of perfect 
abstinence from eating. Though a little flesh might he allowed in case of 
weak puppies, or when great weakness has come on, broth is better even 
then. Large, hardy animals may be without food a few days and no harm 
result. It is a safe rule to keep the animal pretty strictly on a diet of 
vegetables and articles of food made from the flour of grains. 

MANGE.— ITCH. 

This disorder is liable to confusion with eczema, and the reader should 
compare what is said on that disease with the remarks here made. It is 
not of frequent occurrence. It is caused by parasites in the skin and 
presents the aspect of the like affection in the .horse, to which the reader 
is referred. The parasite may be transmitted to the human body, but does 
not there remain so stubbornly as in the dog. Conditions that are favora- 
ble to the development of the parasite are close, unhealthy lodgings, 
dirty, damp bedding, or general uncleanness, want of air and exercise, 
bad or deficient food. The symptoms are thinning of the hair; dry, scaly, 
ridgy skin, especially on the neck, back, ears and eyes; rubbing and 
scratching, resulting in red spots, or pimples, which burst, their discharge 
forming yellowish crusts and brownish scales; the dog is dejected, ex- 
cept under special excitement; appetite good and thirst excessive, the 
body being feverish; in a few weeks the whole body may be affected, 
and if the disorder is neglected, the dog may become poor, bloated, 
weak, and hopelessly diseased. 

Treatment. — The killing of the parasites is necessary to a cure. 
To effect this, follow the directions given for the removal of lice, ticks 
and fleas given in the following article. If this fails, use one of the oint- 
ments mentioned in the treatment of this affection in the Horse. It may be 
necessary to resort to an ointment composed of one ounce of mercury to 
one pound of lard, well rubbed into the skin, but the animal should not 
get wet during its application. Promote a good condition of flesh and 
general health as a preventive of a recurrence. 

FLEAS.— TICKS.— LICE. 

These pests cause the dog much inconvenience and the household 
much annoyance. They cause the dog to scratch and rub himself, and give 
rise to small pimples which are torn open and discharge serum or matter 
and form sores. They may be on an)' part of the body, but lice are more 
often found on the head and about the eyes and lips. Scratching and un- 



THE L:OG DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. 345 

easiness will at once show that they are present, and an examination will 
readily bring them to view. 

Treatment. — There is no cure except the absolute removal of the 
parasites and destruction of their eggs. Wash the dog with warm water 
and soap, well rubbed into the skin, carefully cleanse with tepid water, and 
dry thoroughly by rubbing before a fire. Then sprinkle with tincture of 
camphor, and carefully use a comb and brush to remove the eggs on the 
hair. This may be repeated two or three times, the eyes, lips and ears re- 
ceiving special attention. The pests may be driven away by a free rubbing 
with an ointment made of one ounce of sulphur and a pound of lard; or 
one made of equal parts of sulphurous acid and water or glycerine; dilute 
carbolic acid may have the same effect. Sulphur internally may be desir- 
able along with the application of the sulphur-ointment. If the eruptions 
do not disappear, give arsenicum three times daily. Destroy all the bedding 
and cleanse the lodgings with carbolic or sulphurous acid. Dogs which 
are admitted to the house should be frequently and well washed. 

INFLAMMATION OF THE KIDNEYS. 

This is a very dangerous disease, but not common, and is caused by 
exposure to cold and wet, over-exertion, strains, injuries, seasoned food, 
gravel, and turpentine and cantharides as medicines. It is marked by stiff, 
straddling hind legs in walking; tender loins; hot, dry nose and mouth, 
with great thirst; turning of the head toward the loins; urine scanty and 
high-colored, or thick and clear, and passed with straining; failure of appe- 
tite; inclination to keep quiet; the back arched during motion. 

Treatment. — Use the remedies mentioned for this disorder in the 
Horse. Wring out cloths in hot water and apply them to the loins, chang- 
ing them often. Give an exclusive diet of milk for some days. 

INFLAMMATION OF THE BLADDER. 

This is sometimes the result of cold and of wet lodgings, but may ensue 
upon running about after being tied up, or from injuries, gravel, and dosing 
with cantharides. The urine is sometimes clear, at other times thick, cloudy 
and bloody, passed in very small quantities, with frequent attempts; gener- 
ally matter is discharged from the penis; hind legs trembling; belly about 
the bladder hot, tender and distended. 

Treatment. — Aconite and cantharis in alternation will often be 
■sufficient. Cannabis- is useful if the first two remedies do not effect a cure, 
and if there is great pain during and after urination. Give a diet of milk. 



34(5 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

INFLAMMATION OF THE TEATS. 

This comes on a few days after parturition, and is first indicated by- 
small, tender lumps at the base of the teats. The swelling soon increases 
and extends around the teats, the latter becoming very hot and red. The 
suckling of the pups may be so painful that the mother will not allow it, 
and then the inflammation involves the whole udder, perhaps going 
on until suppuration occurs and an abscess forms at the base of one or 
two teats. 

Treatment. — As soon as the inflammation is detected, give aconite, 
alone or alternating with belladonna. If, after a few doses of such medicine, 
the inflammation and swelling increase, give chamomilla internally and 
apply to the affected part a piece of soft rag dipped in a lotion of the same. 

DISORDERS OF THE EYE AND EAR. 

Inflammation. — The dog is frequently affected with an inflammation 
of the eyelids and eyeballs, known as ophthalmia, which is due to a change 
of temperature, heat, dust and violent exertion, the disorder sometimes ap- 
pearing as an epidemic. The eyes are watery and very sensitive to light, 
a discharge drying on the lids and around the eyes so as to glue them to- 
gether. The white of the eye is covered with red streaks; sometimes 
ulcers appear on the front of the" eye and may continue until they let the 
fluid out of the ball, with proud flesh following. 

Treatment. — Aconite, if given promptly in the first stages, is often 
sufficient for a cure. Give belladonna, after the use of aconite, if there is 
still great sensitiveness to light, the eyes being shut, inflamed, dim and 
watery. Mercurius is suitable for discharge of mucus, swelling and stick- 
ing eyelids, and threatened ulceration. Sulphur tends to prevent relapses, 
and is also good for chronic cases. Use arnica internally and externally 
when external violence is the cause. If the disorder results from eating too 
much soft food, with little exercise, as it may, allow no flesh-food, and com- 
pel the dog to move about when the severe symptoms subside, keeping him 
in a cool place. Allow him to stay in a dim light until he voluntarily 
comes out. Wash the eye frequently with tepid water to prevent the dis- 
charge from drying on the eye. 

Eczema of the Eyelids. — This disorder appears in the form of 
pustules at the roots of the lashes, on the edges of the lids. These soon 
break and the discharge dries and glues the eyes together, the ulceration, if 
not stopped, extending until it destroys the roots of the lashes, causing them 
to permanently fall off. 



THE DOG DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. 347 

Treatment. — Clip the lashes close and wash the parts night and 
morning, to avoid the gluing process. If crusts have formed, soften and 
remove them with warm water, avoiding all force in taking away any de- 
posit. Mercurius corrosivus should be given night and morning, an appli- 
cation being made on the eyelids composed of one grain of the same and 
one drachm of cosmoline, this being put on with a camel's-hair brush. 

Canker in the Ear. — This is a disorder occurring mainly in old 
dogs, or fat, over-fed ones. It may result from distemper, and is often 
caused by exposure to cold and dampness. Its symptoms are shaking of 
the head ; whining; rubbing the ear against any object, or scratching it, 
followed by howls of pain ; the inside of the ear is red ; in a few days an 
offensive discharge comes from the ear, which increases in quantity. The 
disease is liable to become permanent if neglected. 

Treatment. — Give belladonna at first, previous to the discharge, for 
red, swollen inside of the ear. Mercurius is needed when there is a thick, 
offensive discharge, tinged with blood; pulsatilla, for thin discharge, or 
when distemper is the cause; and arsenicum if there be weakness, and irri- 
tation of the skin from the discharge. Frequently wash the ear with warm 
water and inject warm milk and water into it with a small syringe. When 
the discharge decreases, use a lotion composed of one drachm of carbolic 
acid, two drachms of glycerine, and six ounces of water. 

Deafness. — Distemper, fever, inflammation of the brain, general de- 
bility, hardened wax, canker, or old age may cause deafness. 

Treatment. — When the hearing fails, ascertain whether hardened 
wax is the cause. If so, inject a little warm water and pure castile soap 
twice a day, until the wax is soft enough to be removed. If distemper is 
the cause, give pulsatilla; if fever or inflammation of the brain, belladonna; 
if canker, hepar. 

Scurfy Ears. — Scurf occurs more frequently on the ears of dogs 
with short hair. It usually starts from the tip and extends to the roots. Its 
causes are improper food, filth, sudden disappearance of mange, and natural 
tendency. 

Treatment. — Arsenicum is to be given for dry, hot ears, the scurf 
falling in scales; sulphur for rapidly spreading scurf, and itching; hepar for 
tender ears and moisture under the scurf. Wash the ears once daily with 
warm water and soap, dry them, and apply with a sponge a lotion made of 
one part of glycerine and six of water. 

Swelling of the Ears. — A pale, straw-colored fluid sometimes 
accumulates between the outside and inside layers of the skin, generally as 
a result of an injury. It may increase slowly or rapidly. It is best to open 
the swelling at once, on the inside of the ear at the lowest point, and j^ress 



;348 the; veterinary doctor. 

out the fluid. This may be sufficient; but it may continue some days if a 
blow has been the cause. The fluid may collect two or three times if the 
opening is not kept free, in which case inject a little warm water, and bind 
the animal so as to keep the ear in a vessel of warm water for five or ten 
minutes once daily for several days. 

SORE FOOT. 

This disorder affects the elastic bottom of the foot, and is caused by 
.any of the many mechanical injuries incident to running about. The paw 
swells, bleeds, is painful, scales off, perhaps has hard lumps, causing the dog 
to limp, and possibly the skin and nails to come off". 

Treatment. — Carefully remove grit, thorns, or other foreign sub- 
stances, bathe in warm water, apply cloths saturated with arnica-lotion, giv- 
ing arnica internally at the same time. If there are signs of fever and 
•suppuration is threatened, apply linseed poultices containing a few drops of 
arnica. If suppuration has taken place, open the sore, and apply poultices 
mixed with a few drops of calendula, night and morning. When all the 
matter is removed, in place of the poultices use cloths saturated with calen- 
dula-lotion. During such applications, muzzle the dog to keep him from 
tearing them off". When improvement begins, put on a shoe, preferably 
leather, to keep out dirt and remove pressure for a few days. If the feet 
are merely tender, the licking of them by the dog will often suffice; great 
relief may also be given by warm fomentations. 

GENERAL MENTION OF DISORDERS. 

Disorders which occur more or less often in dogs, but are not specially 
treated here because they are quite easily recognized,, and are sufficiently 
considered in the Horse to enable one to select suitable treatment from their 
respective articles in Part I, are Dropsy, Abscesses, Boils, Tumors, Warts, 
Burns, Scalds, Gonorrhoea, Protrusion of the Rectum and Womb, Cataract, 
Pterygium, Cuts, and other Wounds and Injuries. 




F^I^T VI. 



THE CAT AND ITS DISEASES. 




349 




HANDSOME TOM. 

350 



PART VII. 



THE CAT AND ITS DISEASES. 



ORIGIN AND HISTORY. 




THE admirer of the cat inquires about the origin of the 
graceful pet which sings on the rug or lies so com- 
fortably on the lap of its mistress, and he learns that 
"blue blood" runs in the veins of the large family, 
scientifically speaking, to which it belongs. It is 
a member of the great class of felidae, whose 
proudest representatives are the kingly lion and 
the royal tiger. In spite of much discussion, the 
question of the origin of the domestic cat is still 
without a satisfactory answer. It is very generally conceded that it descend- 
ed from either the cat of ancient Egypt or the wild cat, but authorities are 
pretty evenly divided ujdoii the two parts of this question. Mr. Wood says, 
"as far as is at present known, the Egyptian cat is the origin of our do- 
mestic cat," and we accept his conclusion, as well as his statement that it 
came to western and northern countries through Greece and Rome. 

That it was known in very early times is shown by many allusions to 
it in the books of the Sanscrit language, which date back thousands of 
years before the Christian era. In ancient Egypt it commanded a venera- 
tion which staggers our credence. We are told that a Persian king cap- 
tured an Egyptian city without opposition by resorting to the stratagem of 
giving a living cat to each soldier when going to battle, the enemy offering 
no resistance lest the sacred animal be killed. Stories of a like kind are 

351 



352 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

mentioned in history, and we learn that the death penalty was inflicted on 
any one in Egypt who killed a cat. This animal held a high place in the 
public and private worship of that land, as we read in the pages of history,, 
and as is further proved by the vast numbers of images and adornments 
representing it which have been discovei'ed in later times. Hosts of them 
were embalmed, and that, too, by the costly process used on the royal fami- 
lies, so that it may be said that Egypt permanently pi'eserved the bodies of 
her kings and cats. 

We find that the Turks had and yet have a profound respect for this 
animal, handsome sums being devoted to hospitals for its care and treat- 
ment. In the tenth century Howell the Good, of Wales, imposed a heavy 
fine upon any subject who killed a cat. In the Middle Ages a different 
sentiment was rife, superstition connecting the animal with witches and 
Satan, especially if it were black — a superstition which is not unknown 
to-day. Great numbers were burned alive on St. John's Day in a certain 
quarter of Paris, the king starting the fire, Louis XIV being the last ruler 
to perform this proud royal act. To such superstitions and barbarities may 
perhaps be traced the prejudice of modern times against this innocent animal. 
In both ancient and modern Germany there has been a peculiar dread 
of a black cat and its supposed Satanic influences. In Sicily cats are held 
in almost extravagant esteem. In England and America not a few have 
ridiculous notions upon the curative properties of the blood, skin and other 
parts, to say nothing about fancied relations to Satan and witches. 

Over against the repugnance to the cat which many profess, often be- 
cause it is simply the fashion, one may mention, as a few of the great 
number who have admired and fostered the animal, Richelieu, Cardinal 
Wolsey, Montaigne, Fontanelle, Turner the painter, Tasso, Pierre Jean 
de Beranger, and Dr. Jonson. Adding the weight of the tastes of 
such men to that of the favors shown in ancient times, we catch the force 
of the saying that " a cat may look upon a king." 

TRAITS. 

He who dispassionately studies the traits of the cat will recognize a 
measure of aptness in the old Arab's saying, that Allah had placed in the 
cat the spirit of a gentle woman, and in the dog the soul of a brave man. 
At the present time, however, any claim of gentleness for this animal is 
promptly met by the unsupported assertion, that " the friendship of years 
is suddenly and irreparably broken by an accidental tread on the tail," and 
an invidious comparison is drawn by alluding to the patient and forgiving 
affection of the dog. The cat is by far the more delicately constituted in 



THE CAT AND ITS DISEASES. 353 

the nervous system, and is thus exposed to the most exquisite pain and dis- 
tressing shocks. But in spite of this, if she has been properly treated be- 
fore, it takes but slight assurances that no harm was intended to call forth 
fully as much kindness as the dog will show. This difference is noticeable: 
the dog will hike pains to cultivate friendship with those who are indiffer- 
ent or unkind, while the cat will cultivate it only where it is evidently 
mutual. 

If those who harbor such a prejudice will exercise a disposition to learn 
the facts, they will probably corroborate the view of one keen observer 
who has said that he had "never known a cat to cement a friendship with 
any one without such friendship lasting till death." Dr. Stables has given 
a large number of instances in which she has staid by the sick-bed of her 
master or mistress, almost to the point of starvation; has evinced unques- 
tioned loneliness in the absence of that one in the family who has shown 
her special kindness; has lain by the cradle of the babe and kept off other 
cats, and even dogs; and has been trained to such a point as to sport with 
and protect pet birds, when she would immediately devour any of 
their kind that she might find in their natural freedom. The testimony of 
that writer is fully sustained by any one who has been observant of the cat 
when it is kindly treated and trained. One frequently-cited evidence of 
her innate kindness is her nursing of puppies, rabbits, rats, and other ani- 
mals. It is readily seen that, in addition to her proverbial attachment to 
places, which leads her to seek her home when taken away a long distance 
, in the closest confinement, she is disposed to be as closely attached to per- 
I sons and dumb creatures. Not only may she be educated to become the 
' protector of animals which she is naturally prompted to destroy, thus dis- 
proving the existence of an alleged " ineradicable treachery," but her 
| marked propensity to steal may be so completely overcome by training 
' that her choicest food will be untouched in the larder to which she has ac- 
cess. Indeed, as we might infer from her delicate organism and high type 
! of cunning, she has a docility which has a parallel in few animals, and it 
j but requires pains to develop it. It may be safely said that those which 
' display the disagreeable traits of petulance, theft and treachery arc starved, 
: ill-treated, spoiled, or at least much neglected. The strict cleanliness of 
i body which they maintain, the noiseless and graceful demeanor, and the 

i notable absence of a disposition to do willful injury to furniture and adorn- 
ments, make cats peculiarly fit for drawing-room pets. 
The prejudice of to-day is almost wholly due to a disregard of two 
j points, namely, the selection of a proper subject, and the requisite care and 
training. One will necessarily form a low estimate of the animal if he 
bases his conclusions upon the stray representatives in whose veins runs 



354 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

the blood of all chance mongrel breeds, which have " shifted for them- 
selves," and have had no protection against bad weather, bad food, bad 
dogs and worse boys. Heredity is as well defined in cats as in other ani- 
mals, and good or bad habits will not only be transmitted, but may be con- 
firmed or corrected by education. No more will this pet be agreeable and 
prized without training than others, nor will others more readily and fully 
reward one for the pains that he may bestow. 

VARIETIES. 

The varieties most sought as pets are tne Angora (also called Angola, 
because some think that it originated in Angola, in Africa, instead of 
Angora, in Asia Minor); the Persian; the Chinese; the Spanish, or Tor- 
toise Shell; the Chartreuse, or Blue; the Manx; and the Tabby. 

The Angora is the most beautiful of all. It is large, and has long, 
silky fur, and a gorgeous, brush-like tail. It is generally perfectly white, 
but ma}' be a pale-yellow, or almost olive-colored. Whatever the color, it 
is pretty, gentle and delicate. 

The Persian is "beautiful in luster and color of its skin. It is a gray- 
blue, and as soft and shining as silk. The tail is of great length and cov- 
ered with hair six inches long, which the animal thi - ows over its back after 
the manner of a squirrel." The hair on the neck is also very long, and 
the color is said to be sometimes pure white. 

The Chinese, which some claim is not properly a cat, is rather above 
the ordinary size, has fine, glossy fur, and hanging ears. 

The Spanish, or Tortoise Shell, is white, black and reddish-brown 
mixed, and is very elegant in form. 

The Chartreuse, or Blue, has long slate-colored fur, and a bushy neck 
and tail. This is perhaps what is popularly known as the Maltese. 

The Manx has long, slim legs, close-set fur, staring, restless eyes, and 
no tail, there being only a knob in its stead. It is an unearthly looking 
creature, and " might fitly be the quadrupedal form in which the ancient 
sorcerers were wont to clothe themselves on their nocturnal excursions." 
There seems to be little doubt that some animals presented at cat-shows as 
specimens of the Manx are really common cats with the tails cut off. In- 
deed, not a few even yet say that the Manx is a myth, though some high 
authorities do not question its existence. 

The Tabby is striped, like waved or watered silk, and may have any 
of a variety of colors. In technical language, we apply this name to those 
that have such marking, but it is popularly used for any grown cat. 

In addition to the above, mixed breeds in great variety present almost 



THE CAT AND ITS DISEASES. 3."").", 

every conceivable color, from perfect black to spotless white, and many of 
them are desirable as pets and valuable as mousers. 

HEALTH OF CATS. 

Most people never think that a cat suffers a loss of health that is worth 

notice, and they entirely neglect their pet until it is perhaps found dead in 

the alley. To expect an animal of such a delicate organism to be free from 

•disease is most unreasonable. It is doubtless true that many have little 

concern, too, whether the cat surfers or not. Two classes will perhaps put 

a low estimate on a work which is devoted to the comfort and health of 

an animal which they lightly esteem. One class will be found in the 

•country, where vile mongrel cats are the only ones known, and whose only 

redeeming characteristic is a fecundity that supplies the demand as rapidlv 

as it is made by the deaths which ensue from neglect and cruelty. The 

•other class will be those who cultivate the contempt for the cat which 

many profess, because they suppose it is popular, without reflecting that it 

is not an evidence of superior taste to despise what God has created. But 

the great admiration — often extravagant, of course — evinced for this ani- 

I mal by a host of good people, the high money value put upon it by such 

( people and by most people in our cities, and the frequent applications made 

to the family physician when a favorite cat in the household is suffering, all 

point to a large class who will welcome the present treatise. Before the 

I treatment is entered upon, a few hints are in order upon the care which is 

I calculated to ward off in great measure the ailments to which this animal 

is subject. To preserve the health, the smoothness and gloss of the fur, 

and the temper, one must regard the food, drink, housing, and general 

I management. 

Food. — In this matter perhaps no error is more general than that of 
I starving a cat to make it a good mouser. The practice has arisen from the 
mistaken notion that a cat kills mice and rats for food only, while the truth 
j is that she does it quite as much because it is at once her sport and her nature, 
! and that she will follow it up more faithfully if she is properly fed 
and kept in her normal health and spirits. If one wants his pet to be- 
come a thief and prowler, with an abundant stock of fleas and vermin, let 
him neglect to feed her regularly. Give at least two meals a day at regu- 
lar hours. After each feeding remove the- dish and never use it a second 
time without first washing it. The quantity that is requisite can best be 
determined by experience, but some breeds, the Angora in particular, re- 
quire more than others. 

Oatmeal porridge and milk, or white bread soaked in milk a little 



356 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

sweetened, will make a good breakfast. For a dinner, the same may be 
given with an allowance of flesh. Horse-meat is much used in Europe, 
and is o-ood, though liver and boiled lights are better. Fish is the favorite 
meat of the cat, and should be at least occasionally provided, particularly 
during sickness. Oysters are also well suited to its wants and are keenly 
relished by some. Raw beef is, of course, to be recommended. An ex- 
cessive amount of flesh, however, tends to produce diarrhoea, liver being es- 
pecially conducive to this derangement. Boiled eggs at regular intervals 
are desirable, as are also vegetables of any kind that the animal likes. 

Though the food should be ample for the needs of the cat, over-feed- 
ing is one of the most prolific sources of mischief. Sweet, fresh milk 
should always be given in abundance, and this, with the oatmeal or bread, 
will be quite sufficient in most cases. The mice which the cat will contrive 
to get will generally be an adequate supplement. Delicacies from the table 
are always to be withheld. It may be said in this connection that a cat's 
disposition is often spoiled by feeding it from the table while the family is 
eating. This should not be allowed, and a little training will induce her 
to patiently await her time, even if she sits by the table during the meal. 

Grass. — A lady writer says: "Cats will never prosper without grass to 
eat. It is, with them, a panacea for nearly all their ills. They eat it to keep 
the stomach in good order. It cools the blood, prevents humors, and aids 
digestion." It is supposed that the eating of grass helps the cat to get rid 
of the hair which it swallows in the process of washing. While licking 
itself, the loose hair clings to the tongue and is swallowed. In the stomach 
it tends to foim hard balls, which interfere with digestion and act as an 
irritant to the stomach and bowels, causing fever, fits, vomiting and dys- 
entery. The grass acts in such cases as a lubricant, like castor oil, enabling 
these balls to be easily thrown off by the stomach or bowels. Grass can 
be supplied to cats in the winter by laying by a few cuts of sod in the 
cellar, conservatory, or any warm place, being kept watered, and a small 
piece being given at a time. They will eat it greedily, and even swallow 
the roots. If it causes them to vomit no harm will be done. If a cat ap-, 
pear ill, tries to vomit, or vainly tries to evacuate the bowels, and no grass 
can be procured, give a teaspoonful of castor oil, sweet oil, or glycerine. 
The readiness with which most of them will feed upon asparagus 
in the garden should induce one to keep a supply in reach when practicable; 
and their natural preference for catnip will suggest a like course, for it is 
well-known that cats take delight in rolling about in catnip, whether dry 
or green. 

Drink. — Of milk we have already spoken; but it is a mistake to sup- 
pose that it is always preferred, since water will generallv be chosen for 



THE CAT AND ITS DISEASES. %~ t ~ 

the mere quenching of thirst. Both should be kept in a particular place, 
in different vessels, or in separate divisions of a double dish. The drink- 
mg-vessels must be washed at least once a day and a fresh supply be pro- 
vided as often, for milk that is the least unsavory will not be taken by a 
well-bred cat, unless hunger forces it to accept it, nor will it drink water if 
it is not fresh and free from dust. 

Housing. — If one is to have a cat that is fit to be seen in the parlor, or 
to be allowed in the house at all, he must give it suitable housing. If he 
turns it out at night, it will, in addition to becoming a thief and prowler, 
surely be gaunt, ugly, unhealthy, and covered with lice and other vermin 
from its visits to the roosts of poultry and birds. If properly fed and 
treated during the day, it will not be inclined to go out at night. Make a 
good bed in a clean, cosy place, give free access to different parts of the 
house, and do not put your cat out at night unless it shows a marked de- 
sire to go. Many people turn it out to keep it from soiling the carpets, 
but this is unnecessary, for proper management will supplement its nat- 
ural dainty cleanliness, and thus prevent this practice, unless sickness or too 
close confinement induces it. It is always well to place a sand-box in some 
remote part of the house, and to keep it accessible at all times. Not only 
'can one train his cat to use it herself, but she will also teach her mates and 
i kittens to do the same. 

Care of the Fur. — The Hindoo word for cat means " the cleanser," 

'and an apt use of the term it is, for no other animal keeps itself in such 

I exquisite cleanliness. No one should fail to keep the apartments in which 

the cat is kept as clean as possible. If she is compelled to wear a dirty 

coat for a considerable time, it will be the more to her credit if she does 

not become discouraged, careless and slovenly. At times the surroundings 

j will be such that the soiling of the fur will be unavoidable, and it is then 

[best to give an occasional bath with warm water and the mildest of soap, 

carefully drying with towels, in a warm room, to prevent the contracting 

of a cold. For obvious reasons, white cats will be more often treated in 

this way, and perhaps the water which gets into the ears, and the colds 

which are taken, aggravate the alleged liability of those of this color to 

become deaf — a liahility which is grossly exaggerated by many. 

To insure a clean, glossy coat, give at times an ounce or less of fresh 
butter. " It not only acts as a gentle laxative, but the grease, combining 
in her mouth with the alkalinity of her saliva, forms a kind of natural cat- 
soap, and you will see she will immediately commence washing herself, ami 
become beautifully clean." When the fur is rough and " seedy," give a 
saucer of milk, warmed a little with hot water and slightly sweetened with 
sugar. If cream is smeared about the mouth or on the paws, the cat will 



'358 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

lick it off and use it in dressing herself. To prepare her for shows, touch 
her all over with a sponge dipped in fresh cream, and she will clean and 
polish herself with a striking effect. 

A begrimed coat is a source of poor health, and one that is rough and 
staring is generally the first symptom of disease. Hence, both in hygiene 
and treatment, attention to the fur is of much importance. 

General Remarks. — The health and temper of cats are sei'iously 
impaired by rough treatment of all kinds. No one can reasonably expect 
to have a pet that is fit for the drawing-room if it is harassed by dogs and 
street-boys, or continually teased by pulling its ears, tail and fur; nor, in- 
deed, if it is treated as if it were merely suffered to be in the house, instead 
of being sought. That an animal is so patient as to allow children to 
smother it in their aprons and wraps, to carry it over the shoulder by the 
legs or head, and even to drag it by the tail, is a rebuke to parents who are 
so unfeeling as to permit such abuse. Her good nature merits some consid- 
erations of humanity. Her delicate nervous organism, too, demands pro- 
tection against pain, fright, and all forms of rough treatment. 

DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. 

Cats are subject to nearly as many diseases as the human race. But 
while the diseases of nearly all other animals have been studied with great 
care, those of the cat have been neglected, except by a few admirers of that 
animal. Yet there are thousands of people who would highly value any 
practical information, in order that they might save the life or preserve the 
health of a loved pet or valuable mouser. 

Cats soon show when they are sick. Almost the first symptom is a 
neglect of their usual toilet. A cat that omits to wash and clean itself is 
surely ill. 

Another prominent symptom is a rough condition of its fur. The 
hair no longer is smooth and glossy, but appears to stand out straight from 
the skin. 

A hot nose is a pretty sure sign that a cat is feverish or has inflam- 
mation somewhere. I shall enumerate the disorders of cats in the order of 
their frequency, and give briefly the best treatment adopted by others,, 
together with my own experience. 

There is no reason why we should not treat the cat and all other- 
animals with the same humanity with which we should treat our fellow 
human beings. Some physicians and surgeons take offense, or pretend to, : 
if asked to prescribe for a cat or other domestic animal. No physician 
need feel any loss of dignity in doing a humane act. When a veterinary 



THE CAT AND ITS DISEASES. 



359 



physician or some one who makes diseases of animals a speciality can not be 
procured, the family physician has no moral or humane right to refuse to 
prescribe. The writer, although an old physician of large practice, never 
refused such aid, and if the following hints shall enable humane people to 
relieve the suffering of their pets, he will be sincerely gratified. 

When medicine is not given in the food, and is to be administered by 
hand, it is well to put on thick, stout gloves to avoid bites and scratches. 




204. Hafiz (from a photograph). 



Then wrap the cat in a strong cloth, carefully covering the feet; let an assist- 
ant hold it between his knees, and open the mouth wide. Doses in a fluid 
form should be given little by little from a spoon. If a pill or bolus i^ the 
form, put it well back against the roof of the mouth. If tasteless powders 
or homoeopathic pellets are used, it is only necessary to place the dose on 
the tongue, when it will be absorbed or swallowed. In all cases, be gen- 



360 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

tie, so as to avoid fright and injury. Studiously clean off from the lips and 
fur all remnants of the medicine, for the cat will not lick it off if it is dis- 
tasteful, and its presence will be annoying. It is a good rule to withhold 
food for two hours after a remedy has been given, unless special directions 
to the contrary are mentioned in any particular place. 

CONVULSIONS.— FITS. 

Among the causes of fits the principal is overfeeding with meat, 
'especially when young. Cats should have but a small quantity of meat once 
a day. The best diet for a cat under one year of age is milk, oatmeal and 
.milk, or plain bread and milk. 

Fits are generally of such short duration that but little can be done for 
instant relief. If they last more than a minute, a whiff of chloroform, 
ether or ammonia may do good. In order to prevent them from running 
into the fire or injuring furniture or ornaments in their wild and delirious 
action, throw a shawl or sheet over them and hold them quiet. The preven- 
tive or after-treatment is the most important. 

Treatment. — The diet must be carefuliy watched, and if they are 
fat, put them on a low diet. If they are poor and lean, give them reg- 
ularly milk and a little raw meat twice a day. If the disorder arises from 
worms, give santonine (one-tenth grain in milk every three or four hours 
for two or three days). A cat with fits should be watched, and if her faeces 
or vomit contain worms, you may be sure that worms are the cause. If 
the cat is very poor and scrawny, give half a teaspoonful of cod-liver oil 
three times a day. If the fits are frequent and the cat is rigid, or stiffly 
convulsed, give nux vomica three times a day (a few pellets or grains of the 
third trituration, or a spoonful of a solution of one or two drops of the 
tincture in half a glass of water). If the eyes are red and blood-shot and 
the head is hot, give belladonna in the same dose as nux vomica. 

DELIRIUM. 

Cats often have attacks of delirium, which may be mistaken for 
fits, though there are no true convulsions. The animal is discovered with 
staring eyes and bristly fur, rushing here and there in a terrible manner. 
It tries to climb up the wall or break through a window, and ends by 
plunging into the darkest corner, and mews piteously or screams frightfully. 
Here it will remain and die unless attended to. 

Treatment. — Put on a pair of thick gloves or mittens, grasp the cat 
firmly by the nape of the neck, wrap a shawl around the body, and 



THE CAT AND ITS DISEASES. 301 

•with a sharp pair of scissors clip or slit one of the cars slightly in the thin 
part; then with a sponge or rag wet the ear with warm water to cause the 
blood to flow, and a few drops will give relief. Give the cat some bella- 
donna or hvoscyamus as directed above, put it in a cool, quiet place, and 
allow it to sleep. Do not allow it to be disturbed for several hours or a day, 
for the animal is left in a very nervous state, in which a slight sound will 
alarm it and bring back the delirium. 

When cats are teething this delirium often occurs. In some instances 
the gums ought to be lanced. Feed the cat very sparingly with warm 
milk, not cream, for a few days. Place within its reach water to drink, 
and grass to eat. 

APOPLEXY. 

If a cat suddenly becomes stupid, sleeps heavily and cannot be roused, 
and breathes with a snore, it has apoplexy. Bleed from the ear a few drops, 
and give one-tenth drop of opium (laudanum) every half-hour. 

INFLAMED EYES. 

I 

This is generally due to catarrh or injury. If it arises from catching 
i cold, the eve will be swollen, the inside of the lids red and secreting a 
1 mucus which sticks the lids together and runs out of the corners. Give in- 
1 ternally some pulsatilla or hepar sulphur. Locally apply a wash of weak 
i borax- water, or a few grains of alum or sulphate of zinc to a teacupful 
of water. 

CATARRH OF THE NOSE. 

After catching cold, cats will sneeze and show all the symptoms of in- 
fluenza. It is often epidemic. When influenza is prevalent among men 
I and horses, dogs and cats are similarly affected. Give hepar sulphur, and if 
J the case is severe, with sore, raw nose and a watery discharge, give arsenic 
or arsenic iodide, third trituration, or ten drops of Fowler's Solution in a half- 
teacup of water, a spoonful every two hours. 

SORE THROAT.— DIPHTHERIA. 

Sore throat arises generally from a cold, and is preceded by catarrhal 
symptoms. The cat will seem to have difficulty in swallowing food, will 
swallow when not eating, and the glands of the throat are swollen. Cats 



362 the; veterinary doctor. 

have diphtheria, which they often get from children by whom they are 
fondled. Give belladonna and mercurius, and wrap the throat up in flannel 
wet with cosmoline; or tie a strip of pork around the throat. If it is diph- 
theria, the same treatment will be ample, with a few grains of sulphite of 
soda in water. 

INFLAMMATION OF THE STOMACH. 

This is often caused by cats eating food that has been poisoned. If 
you are sure it is arsenic, give a few drops of peroxide of iron, or dialized 
iron, every half-hour. The symptoms are constant vomiting and retching, 
with great thirst. If it is not from arsenic, give a few pellets or a powder 
of arsenicum, third trituration, every hour or two. If this fails, give a 
grain or two of sub-nitrate of bismuth, dry on the tongue, every hour. 
But do not forget that all the symptoms of this disease are often caused by 
worms, and then nothing but santonine will save life. 

DIARRHCEA. 

Diarrhoea is generally caused by irregular or excessive feeding, or ex- 
posure to wet and cold. Fat meat, or too much liver or oysters will cause 
it. It soon reduces the cat to a skeleton, and will end in dysentery and death. 

If caused by improper food, give pulsatilla and a diet of boiled milk, 
or no food at all, for a day or two. A few grains of bismuth will often 
avert it. If it comes from a cold, give mercurius, second trituration. If it 
is chronic and obstinate, give the following prescription : 

I£ Tine, opii, one drachm. 

Castor oil, one ounce. 

Aromatic syrup rhubarb, one ounce. 

Emulsion, two ounces. 
Mix. 

Give one-half or one teaspoonful every two hours. In all severe cases of 
illness, put the cat in an empty room, not too cold, with a warm bed in it, 
and a box of sand. 

DYSENTERY. 

Dysentery is an inflammation of the mucous lining of the intestines. It 
is attended by fever, pain in the bowels, crying and discharge of white or 
bloody slime, with straining. 



THE CAT AND ITS DISEASES. 363 

Give aconite and mercurius, with colocynth if there is colic. If this- 
fails, use the prescription given above for chronic Diarrhoea. A grain or 
two of powdered ipecac every two hours will be needed if the discharges 
are green and very bloody. 

BRONCHITIS AND CONSUMPTION. 

Cats are very subject to bronchitis, especially pet cats, if they are 
exposed to cold and wet. It begins with symptoms of a common cold, 
such as staring coat, shivering, and slight cough. The cat becomes very ill 
for a day or two with the acute stage, which soon passes into the chronic 
form. There is then difficulty of breathing; the cat is constantly coughing, 
with the tongue hanging over the lower lip; she has an anxious expression 
about the face, and her eyes are watery and filled with matter; she gets 
thinner and moons about, refusing all food, or at times eating voraciously, 
with depraved appetite. 

Confine the cat to the house, in a warm room; feed her on beef-tea and 
bread, or milk and arrowroot-gruel. If she is constipated, give a small tea- 
spoonful of castor or sweet oil, and prepare a mixture as follows: In half a 
glass of water put one drop of Fowler's Solution of arsenic, and five drops of 
tincture of gelseminum. Give a teaspoonful of this every hour until the 
feverish or acute stage has jjassed. If you have homoeopathic remedies, 
give a small powder of arsenicum (third) and six pellets of gelseminum 
(first), alternately one hour apart. 

After the acute stage has passed into the chronic, and the cough is 
wheezy and frequent, give five drops of syrup of squills every two hours 
or six pellets of pulsatilla (second), alternated with hepar sulphur (third), 
two hours apart. In bad cases, with very difficult breathing and painful 
cough, give a small powder of tartar emetic, second trituration, alternated 
with six pellets of phosphorus, the third. If the cat is left with a cough, 
and grows thin and weak, give half a teaspoonful of pure cod-liver oil three 
times a day. This generally acts like a charm, and the cat soon recovers her 
strength and flesh. 

Consumption often results from neglected bronchitis and needs only 
good care, freedom from exposure, a diet of raw meat, and cod-liver oil. 

DISTEMPER OR YELLOWS. 

Lady Cust, writing of diseases of cats, says: — "This is different from 
distemper in dogs. It rarely occurs but once, and is a dangerous disorder. 
It begins with constant vomiting of bright-yellow, frothy liquid. Diarrhoea 



364 the; veterinary doctor. 

then comes on, which ends in dysentery." She advises "half a teaspoonful 
of melted beef marrow, free from skin," and says that one dose is generally 
sufficient to check the vomiting. But several of my cats had this disease 
and I treated them all successfully with calomel and ipecac. Put three or four 
grains of each into half a glass of water, and give a teaspoonful every hour, 
(or give a small powder of mercurius dulcis, second trituration, and the same 
dose of ipecac, second trituration, alternately one or two hours apart). Feed 
them nothing until the vomiting is checked ; then give them small quanti- 
ties of warm milk, to which may be added a little mutton-broth. 

MANGE.— RING-WORM ECZEMA. 

The "mange" of cats is generally a species of "ring-worm" (which 
they often give to children, or catch from children). It is often a "psoriasis" 
or an "eczema." The skin becomes red and irritated in spots, where the 
hair soon falls off, or the skin becomes red, scaly and wrinkled. The poor 
animal presents an unsightly and even loathsome appearance in bad cases. 
In all instances the annoyance and irritation make the cat very unhappy, for 
the itching is intolerable, and her biting and scratching aggravate the 
disease. 

I have been very successful in treating them just as I would a human 
patient. The diseased surface should be sponged with pure castile soap- 
suds, and carefully dried j after which, if the disease is mild, apply the 
following ointment: 

R Boracic acid (pulv.), one drachm. 

Almond oil, two drachms. 

Vaseline, two ounces. 

Mix. 
Rub in thoroughly with the finger or soft rag. Repeat this every 
day and the eruption will soon disappear. In severe cases use an ointment 
of one drachm of sulphurous acid to one ounce of vaseline (or a wash of 
one drachm of sulphurous acid to one ounce of water). Nearly all varieties 
of mange are caused by microscopic fungi in the skin, and when they 
are destroyed the disease leaves. Carbolated cosmoline has been found 
useful, and so has an ointment of chrysophanic acid, ten grains to one ounce 
of vaseline, the latter being especially good in cases of ring-worm. 

Inte?'nally the best remedy is arsenic, one-tenth of a drop of Fowler's 
Solution, three times a day, or iodide of arsenic, third trituration, a grain 
three times a day. Cod-liver oil is useful if the cat is much emaciated, 
since it readily restores the flesh. 



THE CAT AND ITS DISEASES. 3G5 

CATS WITH KITTENS. 

If you have a valuable and favorite cat pregnant, do not allow her 
to be pushed about, struck or kicked, or she may miscarry, or suffer during 
her confinement. Sometimes the kittens ai*e still-born from such ill-treat- 
ment. See that the cat is well and regularly fed and properly housed. 

When she has kittens, never be so hard-hearted as to destroy all her 
family at once. There is no other animal that exhibits more affection for 
its progeny. It will go hungry that its young may eat, and will face the 
most terrible danger in their behalf. If her children are taken from her, 
the mother will go about for many days in the most distracted and melancholy 
manner, filling the house with her piteous mewings. Therefore, be merci- 
ful and humane. Always leave her at least one baby until it has reached 
an age when it can find other food than its mother's milk. If a cat is de- 
prived of all her young, she may suffer from painful enlargement or inflam- 
mation of the breasts, which sometimes suppurate. I have known many 
cases in which this retention of milk acted as it does sometimes in women 
when delirium and chiM-bed fever set in; and a cat maybe dangerous at 
such times. 

A cat's litter in^y all be born dead, or may be eaten by some old 

I tom-cat, or anv other animal. If no kittens can be procured to nurse the 
mother, a little camphorated oil or phytolacca cerate should be rubbed on. 
the breasts; if she has fever, give aconite and belladonna (pellets) alter- 

l nately an hour apart. Sponging the teats with warm water will sometimes 

! cause the milk to flow and relieve the swelling and pain. 

If the mother dies and you wish to raise the kittens by hand, give 
them a little new milk sweetened with brown sugar. As a substitute for 

J the mother's licking, rub them with a sponge, squeezed out nearly dry after 

' being dipped in warm water that is a little soapy. 

BRIEF MENTION OF VARIOUS AFFECTIONS. 

Boils. — Several of my cats have had an eruption like boils, probably 
i from over-feeding. They need but little treatment, and measures for pro- 

imoting the general health will be sufficient. 
Fox. — In the spring and autumn cats are frequently afflicted with a 
disease resembling chicken-fox in the human subject. The head and throat 
I are the parts usually attacked, the hair falls off, and the animal's appearance 
1 is very miserable. Give hepar sulphur, third trituration, a few grains on the 
tongu* every three hours, and apply the boracic-acid ointment mentioned: 
under Mange. 



366 



THK VETERINARY DOCTOR. 



Fleas. — In some countries and towns cats are terribly annoyed by 
fleas. They are readily removed by a few applications of Persian Insect 
Powder, rubbed into the fur. 

Injuries, etc. — Cats stand operations of all sorts very well. If a 
leg is broken and lacerated by a trap, and cannot be set and put in 
splints, cut it off. Leave sufficient flesh to cover the bone, and have ready 
a wire raised to white heat, to cauterize and stop bleeding ; then bring the 
flesh together by a needle and thread. If the wound has been made with 
a knife or the teeth of some animal, sew it up. If an ulcer forms from any 
cause, touch it with some caustic or burned alum. Cats will persistently 
lick a wound or ulcer. In some cases it will be well to let them. In 
others it defeats healing. A fine wire muzzle is the only preventive. 




JSMSTJ ~VX. 





JPJl^ZjU? 711 



POULTRY Aid LARGE BIRDS. 




367 




I. 


Comb. 


Q. 


Saddle-hackles. 


2. 


Face. 


10. 


Sickles. 


3- 


Wattles. 


II. 


Tail -coverts. 


4- 


Deaf-ear. 


12. 


True tail-feathers. 


"v 


Hackle. 


IV 


Wins: -bow. 


6. 


Breast. 


14. 


Wing-coverts, the "bar." 


7- 


Back. 


IS- 


Secondaries, lower ends form- 


8. 


Saddle. 




ing- the wing- or lower butts. 



16. 

17- 
iS. 
19. 



Primaries, or flights. 

Point of breast-bone,. 

Thighs. 

Hocks. 

Tegs or shanks. 

Spurs. 

Toes or claws. 



368 



PART VII. 



POULTRY AND LARGE BIRDS, 

INCLUDING 

CHICKENS, TURKEYS, DUCKS, GEESE. AND OTHER DOMESTIC FOWLS. 




INTRODUCTION. 

HE rapid growth of poultry-interests in America and the conse- 
quent increase in the financial value of the stock have made a 
practical treatise on the diseases of fowls a pressing need. Feel- 
I ings of mercy, to say nothing about self-interest, should prompt one to seek 
1 relief for his suffering flocks, but many find themselves helpless in the ab- 
, sence of a reliable guide. The family physician can give no advice, even 
if his services did not involve too great an expense, for the subject lies out- 
I side of his field. Nor does the domain of the veterinary surgeon adequately 
! cover this ground. The poultry-raiser must therefore be his own counselor. 
J He is, however, generally limited to the advice of equally uninformed neigh- 
j bors, and to stray clippings from newspapers which are as useless as the 
| large class of specifics for human ills which the paragraph-hunter commits 
! to the columns of the same papers. 

During many years of practical poultry-culture and an exhaustive 
study and publication of literature pertaining thereto, the writer has kept 
in mind this deficiency in domestic works and has reduced the fruits of his 
experience to an accessible form, together with such reliable information as 
he has gleaned from intelligent and trustworthy breeders and dealers. He 
confidently believes that a rational use of the following pages, even by those 
of little or no experience, will result in the saving of many valuable lives 

309 



370 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

and the relieving of a great deal of the suffering which has too often heen 
met by a fateful waiting for the course of nature to bring about a doubtful 
cure or certain death. The successful treatment of one pure-bred fowl will 
be an ample reward for the study required by this entire treatise. The 
omission of technical and undefined terms is a prominent feature and, being 
a constant aid to the reader in his investigations, will be highly appreciated. 
The common fowl is taken as the basis of this work, but the remarks 
are to be applied to other fowls when a given disease is common to them. 
Some disorders, however, which are peculiar to one species receive separate 
mention and treatment when they seem to demand it. 

HEALTH OF POULTRY. 

The old adage " an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," 
applies as well to the present subject as to others. Most diseases of poultry 
may be prevented by a proper observance of hygienic regulations in regard 
to food, shelter and general care, and the brief remarks upon health will be 
among the most valuable that can be made. 

The Coop and Yard. — It is all-important that over-crowding be 
avoided, since it is a prolific source of destructive epidemics in fowls no 
less than in man. They require a rapid change of air, as they are other- 
wise subjected to influences which favor the development of the germs of 
disease. A flock of twenty-five chickens, or a less number of larger fowls, 
should be provided with a coop having an area of at least one hundred and 
fifty square feet, though a lot of an acre will be a large enough run for four 
times that number. It must not be assumed that the flock can be increased 
at will if only a corresponding addition to the space be made. It is pre- 
judicial to keep larger numbers together, since the damaging effects of the 
exhalations, droppings and impurities of the air can not be counteracted. 
The separation of a large flock into divisions, with a reasonable space be- 
tween them, is necessary to the well-being of poultry. 

Sandy or gravelly soil is the best for the fowl-house. To secure a dry 
floor, it is best to raise an artificial mound of earth on which to locate the 
building. If convenient, you may put in broken bricks, stone and other 
^lean, permanent refuse, covering it with some inches of gravel and sand, 
and finishing with sandy or loamy soil, beaten down firmly and smoothly to 
insure ease in cleansing. Heaps of fine coal-ashes or sand should be kept 
in some part of the inclosure as a suitable place for the fowls to dust them- 
selves. Finely pulverized clay or loam is also excellent material for this 
purpose. 

The location should be well drained. Even for ducks and ereese that 



POULTRY AND LARGE BIRDS. 37] 

are kept confined it is important that the requisite water be afforded with- 
out incurring the disadvantages of low, damp, ill-drained, stagnant, or 
heavy, clayey soil. It is desirable, of course, that the inclosure for water- 
fowls be located on the brink of a natural body of water, but in the absence 
of this, an artificial font or pond may be made. 

When perches are required, as for chickens, turkeys and Guinea-fowls, 
they should be so arranged as to be out of the way of the droppings and 
not so high from the ground as to injure the birds, if fat and clumsy, when 
flying down from the roost. 

Light and Ventilation. — Light is absolutely essential to health. If 
possible, the shelter should be so constructed that every nook shall occa- 
sionally be e'xposed to the action of direct rays of the sun. Caution is req- 
uisite in this, however, as in most other good things, and shade should be 
provided so that the fowls may resort to it whenever they are disposed, 
particularly in hot weather. 

In consequence of the unusually active circulation and respiration of 
fowls, deleterious exhalations are rapidly thrown off and remain in the air 
in invisible but poisonous particles. It is, therefore, imperative that every 
Corner and cranny of the apartment be within reach of freely -circulating 
air. Yet equal precautions should be taken against excessive wet and too 
sudden colds, for fowls will take cold in a draught as well as human beings, 
particularly at night. A cool house, perfectly ventilated, without direct 
draughts, is desirable in this matter. In some seasons a poultry-house 
should have as limited walls as practicable. In -summer a roof is all that is 
peeded. Twine or wire netting makes a good partition. 

Cleanliness. — The marked tendency of filth to induce epidemics em- 
phasizes the demand for strict cleanliness. In the eradication of exhalations 
and insects the attention must not be confined to the housings. The yard 
should be changed at times, if possible, and should, at any rate, be treated 
'as here directed, while strict measures are taken with all outdoor roosts. 
Dry earth, such as dust in the highways of the country and small towns (in 
Cities it contains too much offensive matter), should be spread on the bot- 
tom of all inclosures to catch and disinfect the droppings. Of rather less 
merit are coal-ashes, dried muck, land plaster and powdered gypsum. Be- 
fore the accumulation becomes offensive, or even very copious, the whole 
should be removed and stored away, it being a superior fertilizer. At 
(regular intervals the ground of the poultry-run should be spaded up several 
(inches deep, the dirt being used for the garden, and the soil being replaced 
Hvith a fresh supply. When the poultry-yard is extensive, plowing will 
obviously be more economical than spading. Remember that the soil will 
enaciously hold the germs of disease. 



372 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

Even more deleterious than the effluvia from the droppings are the 
organic exhalations from the lungs and skin which adhere to the walls, 
nests, perches, and other exposed surfaces. Whitewash should be fre- 
quently spread upon such surfaces and the nests be often furnished with 
new bedding. Diluted carbolic acid, an ounce to a gallon of water, is an 
excellent purifier. It should be sprinkled everywhere in the apartments,, 
and may be left to evaporate from cloths. It is often allowed to stand in 
open vessels, but caution should be taken to keep it away from the flock, 
since it is an active poison. Such danger may be avoided by hanging up 
bv the neck a bottle containing it, with the cork removed. 

Fumigation is a superior protection against disease, and is especially 
valuable for the removal of lice. It may be applied in various ways. The 
fowls being removed, place in the house a vessel containing sulphur, put a 
red-hot iron in it, and closely shut all openings for some hours. Rosin 
may be advantageously added to the sulphur. Gas-tar, or that made from, 
pine or coal, is a reasonably good substitute for the sulphur; though shav- 
ings wet with carbolic acid and burned in a similar way will be better. 

Removal of Lice and Mites. — When lice or red mites are present — 
the rapacious pests which suck the blood and juices of so many fowls, re- 
duce the system, and often destroy life — remove and burn all straw and other 
litter, take out the perches and char them, with all the wood-work. This 
use of fire may be made more thorough by first carefully smearing the 
materials with refuse grease, but the strictest pains are requisite to prevent 
complete destruction. If the coop is not too valuable, it is well to wholly 
destroy it. Slaked lime, put in all the cracks and corners, has some effi- 
cacy. A good additional measure, and one that is often alone sufficient, is 
the washing of all parts with a lotion made of one pound of potash and a 
quart of water, followed with a copious application of kerosene oil. The 
droppings furnish a favorite harbor for such insects, and they should be re- 
moved, with several inches of the dirt, as directed above, and be applied as 
manure to a garden or field, and plowed under. 

Food and Drink. — In the present instance, when considering the par- 
ticular question of health, our remarks will be rather of a negative charac- 
ter, treating mainly of such articles as are undesirable. Whole corn in hot 
weather is unhealthful, as are also damaged grains, tainted meats, all putrid 
offal, and excessive amounts of meat, particularly when raw. A too 
sudden increase of green food induces diarrhoea, though it does no harm 
if kept constantly before the fowls. Peas, beans, pulse and malt are too 
stimulating. Over-feeding leaves imperfectly digested material in the 
blood and thus favors general disorder, and irregular feeding is always pre- 
judicial. 



POULTRY AND LARGE BIRDS. 3!?> 

Pure, cool, fresh water or milk is the best to drink. Foul, stagnant, 
and impure water of every kind is to be avoided, as it has an injurious in- 
fluence upon the whole digestive system, with a peculiar tendency to pro- 
duce or invite diarrhoea, cholera, and the like. Even rain-water is some- 
times made unwholesome by an exposure of twenty-four hours to the air, a 
fact which calls for a frequent change of water. 

The main object in poultry-raising being to supply the table with 
.meat and eggs, it is strange that so little pains is taken to guard the 
food and drink. If the flock is allowed to eat and drink an}' and every 
thing that is within reach, the flesh and eggs will be as certainly 
vitiated in quality as that the milk of the cow is tainted by the use of 
improper food. Still further, if poultry eat the flesh, blood, milk, urine, 
or droppings of cattle or other animals which are suffering from ma- 
lignant diseases, such as anthrax and foot and mouth disease, the flock 
-will be afflicted with the same or similar diseases, with the alternative 
risk of dying or imparting the malignant affection to those who eat 
their flesh and eggs. 

Miscellaneous Notes. — Among the miscellaneous sources of injury 
to health may be mentioned nervous excitement incident to public 
shows, a boisterous manner of an attendant about the inclosures, the 
trepidation incident to catching, the approach of hawks, dogs and other 
animals. Such fright and confusion should be sedulously avoided. Too 
close confinement tent's to general disorder and is favorable to the de- 
velopment of feather-eating and other vices. Blooded animals are more 
often subjected to such confinement than others. Hot weather long con- 
tinued lowers the tone of the system and thus exposes the fowl to 
debilitating affections of the bowels in particular. Excessively dry 
weather is also weakening, and severe cold is unfavorable to the en- 
joyment of normal health. Skin diseases are engendered by snow lying 1 
on the ground a long time, perhaps because it deprives the fowls of their 
chances for dusting, when the indoor dust-box is lacking. The presence 
of a too vigorous male partner may cause debility in the female and inter- 
fere with the maturing of the egg. The 'unusual demand made upon the 
digestive organs during the period of moulting, in consequence of the growth 
of the new feathers, calls for special treatment, and such is given in 
the pages devoted to diseases. The general "running-out" of a flock in 
the barn-yard, as well as in the inclosure of the fancier, is doubtless often 
due primarily to in-and-in breeding, by which one family that is kept alone 
j declines by an invariable law of nature. Though apparently favorable 
results may be experienced for a time, the inevitable degeneracy will 
eventually become manifest. 



374 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

INVESTIGATION OF DISEASE. 

"What is the disease?" is the first and most important question to ask. 
The number of people who fatefully assume from the beginning that the 
answer to this question is beyond their reach, is inexcusably large. If the 
non-professional render would apply even a limited allowance of study and 
common sense, many of the less important ills might be avoided, and many 
others be successfully treated. A little special instruction is here given to 
enable one to detect a disease before it is too late, and thus to avoid, in a 
oreat measure, those disheartening ravages which at times come upon the 
uninformed owner of fowls. The small number of diseases which are 
liable to be mistaken makes it comparatively easy to form a right conclu- 
sion, for it will not take long to read the symptoms mentioned under all 
of them, if necessary, and thus arrive at the truth by exclusion, by learning 
that "it is not this," "it is not that," and so on. 

A general knowledge of the organism, habits and appearance of fowls 
when in health is, of coui'se, very desirable. A reasonably close observation 
is about all that we can expect in this matter from the ordinary owner of 
barn-yard poultry. The experienced fancier adds to this a frequent hand- 
ling and more detailed study, to learn the normal hardness and suppleness 
of the flesh, the warmth, moisture and color of the skin, especially about the 
vent, and the outline and structure of the skeleton. It is also eminently 
desirable that one know what is a right condition of all the organs, but 
this is particularly true in respect to the liver and other digestive organs. 
Such knowledge can be gained only when a well fowl has been killed. 

One of the most common mistakes in the discovery of a disease is the 
forming of a decision after too little study. Finding one or two symptoms- 
which are known to attend a suspected ailment, one is prone to jump at 
the conclusion that he has detected the real difficulty, when a further in- 
vestigation would reveal these symptoms, in conjunction with others which 
would lead to the time conclusion. Every examination, therefore, should be 
thorough, until a degree of certainty is felt. It is essential, too, that the 
reader do not expect that a disease will always present just the symptoms 
mentioned in any book, for they will vary more or less in different fowls, 
and even in the same one at different times — a caution which merely calls 
for the exercise of judgment and common sense. 

When any doubt is felt upon the contagious nature of a disease, the 
affected animal should be removed from the flock until the possible danger 
is past. When a bird dies from an unknown cause it should be opened and 
the condition of the internal organs be noted, along with a study of their 
condition as represented in the following pages of treatment. 




37i 



37(5 the; veterinary doctor. 

In general, it may be observed that the presence of lice and mites is 
often the cause of weakness and loss of condition, and that a search for 
them will be all that is necessary in many perplexing cases. 

Some diseases of little moment are mentioned in this work, as well as 
some of very rare occurrence, so that the field might be exhaustively 
covered. It may be objected that too many remedies are recommended, 
but it will be seen that they are often mentioned as alternatives, in recogni- 
tion of the fact that one may be at hand when another is not. Any tech- 
nical terms that may be found in these pages will be defined in the context, 
or by the cut on page 866 and the accompanying definition of " points." 

PRECAUTIONS IN SICKNESS. 

When fowls are sick they should be removed from the flock to avoid 
annoyance from others. If the disease is of an epidemic nature, as roup, 
cholera and the like, a temporary hospital should be made, and be destroyed 
when it is no longer needed. In cases of the two disorders just named, 
such a hospital should be more airy than usual. If the quarters used in 
these malignant diseases are not destroyed, they should be thrown open 
and subjected to extreme cold, or be closely shut and raised to a degree of 
heat at least as high as 150 Fahrenheit; for which purpose a stove can be 
used. Boiling water dashed in large quantities on all parts will also be use- 
ful. Other measures recommended above for exhalations and insects may 
likewise be adopted to secure a thorough cleaning of the place. 

REMEDIES AND HOW GIVEN. 

For the sake of completeness and ease of reference, the requisite direc- 
tions for medicines and doses are given just as they are needed. A few 
observations are here made upon the particular effects produced by some 
leading remedies, with the best methods of administration. 

Special Mention of Remedies . — Cayenne pepper, asafoetida and gen- 
tian act as stimulants on the digestive organs. Do not buy the pepper that 
is adulterated or has otherwise lost its properties, and do not give it long 
at a time, nor in such large quantities as to make it distasteful. Ale is a 
good general stimulant. Garlic, onions and asafoetida favor a healthy ac- 
tion of the breathing-organs. The best known tonic is iron, a few drops 
of the tincture being administered in the feed, or a few rusty nails being 
put into the drinking-water. 

Another excellent tonic is the "Douglass Mixture," made as follows: 
Dissolve a pound of copperas (sulphate of iron) in two gallons of water, 
and thoroughly stir into this an ounce of oil of vitriol (sulphuric acid). 



POULTRY AND LARGE BIRDS. 377 

Keep it in jugs and, for general use, an ounce of it may be put into a gal- 
lon of drinking-water, smaller quantities in the same proportion. It may 
be so given every alternate day. Two gallons are named on the supposi- 
tion of a large flock. For a smaller one, and for a large one in hot weather, 
a less quantity should be made. 

"Chicken Powders" are also superior as a tonic, and are made of 
equal parts of copperas, cayenne pepper, sulphur and rosin, pounded to- 
gether and well mixed. Give two or three teaspoonfuls four or five times 
a week to each dozen fowls. 

Charcoal purifies the digestive organs by absorbing offensive matters, 
and thus stimulates their action. The flock can be taught to eat it by add- 
ing a little in a powdered form to the soft food, and it will afterward be 
taken as the system demands it if it is kept before the fowls in bits as large 
.as grains of corn. When given in the food as a powder, care should be 
taken not to put in too much, lest the system become clogged with it. 

Sulphur is a valued drug, but it should be used with some caution. It 
has' often produced injurious or fatal effects in external applications to 
young chickens, perhaps more often when mixed with lard. It will also do 
harm to the eyes, and even produce blindness, if it gets into them. There 
is danger of its adulteration with sulphuric acid, and when sold in the form 
of powder it should be washed well in hot water, which will remove the 
acid without dissolving the sulphur. When it is applied externally, the 
fowls should be kept out of the wet for a day or two. 

Lime-water is used for several purposes and is prepared by slaking 
four ounces of good lime in a little water, and then adding enough water 
to make a gallon. Let it stand a few hours, pour off the liquid, and save 
the lime for use in making the preparation at another time. Lime-water is 
useful in both health and disease. 

Doses and Administration. — When one is in doubt about the proper 
size of a dose for a fowl, he should ask a druggist or physician what is the 
regular amount for a child. Give to a chicken two weeks old as much 
as is appropriate for a child of six months; to one of six weeks, the 
■dose for a child of a year; to one half-grown, that for a two-year-old child; 
to one full-grown, what is needed for a child of three or four years. It 
will thus be seen that fowls require large doses for such small animals. 

When medicines are not taken in the food or drink and are to be ad- 
ministered by hand, they are most easily given in solutions. Pills and other 
solids will be swallowed if placed far enough back in the mouth. Such 
manual administration can best be effected by taking the fowl in the lap 
and holding it with the left arm, while the mouth is opened with the left 
hand and the medicine is thrust down with the right. In doing this, the 



378 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

head should be kept in the position naturally maintained in drinking^ 
the neck being outstretched and the beak pointed upward. 

In making the dose, the following tables will be serviceable: 

druggists' weights. 

20 grains make one scruple. 

3 scruples " " drachm. 

8 drachms " " ounce, 
12 ounces " " pound. 

druggists' fluid measures. 

60 minims make one fluid drachm. 
8 fluid drachms make one fluid ounce. 
16 fluid ounces " " " pint. 

These weights and measures are not in the possession of many people,., 
and rougher methods may be used with safety for some of the less potent 
and less poisonous remedies. For example, a teaspoonful is considered equiv- 
alent to one fluid drachm; a tablespoonful, to a half fluid ounce; a wine- 
glassful, to two fluid ounces. So, also, sixty drops of water are accounted 
a teaspoonful, or fluid drachm; one hundred and twenty drops of alcohol 
and the tinctures also pass for the same bulk; while a like number ot 
drops of oils and syrups make a much larger proportionate measurements 
Such indefinite equivalents should obviously not be accepted when using 
strychnine, aconite, colchicum, arsenic, tartar emetic, laudanum and other 
poisons, while scarcely less caution is needed in measuring kerosene oil, sul- 
phur, mercurial ointment, carbolic acid and other dangerous drugs. It may 
not be out of place here to drop a special warning against leaving any 
poison, as rat's-bane, arsenic, Paris green, and the like, within the reach of 
poultry. 

General Remarks. — It is of the utmost moment in domestic practice,, 
in every department, to use judgment and calm good sense. A disease 
may appear in any of a variety of degrees of severity, and no rule can be 
given about the dose that will precisely apply to all cases. The reader must,, 
therefore, increase or diminish the size and frequency as the age of the ani- 
mal and the malignancy of the case in hand may dictate, restrained by the 
caution in the maxim that domestic treatment is generally over-treatment., 
medicines being usually given too freely. 




379 



380 TH ^ VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. 
CHOLERA.— HEN DISTEMPER. 

Though this disease is of comparatively recent appearance, it is the 
most dreaded of all the maladies which afflict poultry. Its nature is per- 
haps malarial, and it is certainly epidemic and highly contagious. Owing, 
however, to its ohscure origin and character, any disorder that is not under- 
stood is quite likely to be called cholera. 

Causes. — It is caused, or at least promoted, by over-crowding in the 
coop (though it invades flocks which have extensive runs), and its develop- 
ment is favored by filth, unwholesome and irregular feed, exposure in 
damp, malarial localities, stagnant drinking-water, extremes of heat and 
dryness, and other unfavorable conditions mentioned in the opening re- 
marks on health. It attacks fowls of all ages, but more readily the older 
•ones, and the very large and high-fed are especially liable to become its 
victims. It is a well-grounded suspicion that the droppings contain the 
germs of the disease, and some confidently maintain that it is the sole me- 
dium of its infection. It is certain that special pains should be taken to re- 
move them and render them harmless by carbolic acid or, still better, by 
covering them deeply with the plow. 

Symptoms. — Owing to the liability of confusion with other diseases a 
special study of the following symptoms is of the first moment. The fowl 
at first becomes weak, sometimes extremely so, staggers, and perhaps falls; 
*s dejected, sleepy, moping, and does not plume itself; has much thirst and 
fever; gapes frequently; discharges from the bowels, mild at first, become 
yellowish-green or like sulphur and water, growing thinner, greener and 
frothy in the later stages, causing increased prostration, and persisting until 
death in fatal cases; the skin about the vent perhaps very red, with black 
spots; the animal may be "tucked up" with cramps; the crop fills with 
wind and mucus, making the breathing fast and heavy; the fowl finally 
fails to digest its food; the eyes are closed a few hours before death. Among 
the later symptoms is the change of the comb and wattles to a pale or dark 
hue. If the bird is opened after death, the liver will be found enlarged, 
•congested, full of dark blood, show a dark-green color, and be so tender 
that it can be easily crushed with the fingers; the gizzard will be more or 
less softened, often much contracted, and be filled with dried or greenish 
food; the crop and intestines will perhaps be filled with sour, fermenting 
food and mucus, possibly ulcerated, the intestines being much inflamed; the 
blood will be darker and thicker than usual ; the lungs and other organs 



POULTRY AND LARGE BIRDS. 381, 

will be engorged with blood; the heart enlarged; tbe testicles more or less 
changed. 

Treatment. — Treat promptly in the beginning. Remove the whole 
flock at once to clean quarters, if possible, affording a dry, gravelly loca- 
tion not previously used, and provide healthful housings. Separate the sick 
and suspected from the others and give to each, if practicable, a place by 
itself. Such isolation is desirable even for such as are supposed to be well, 
to prevent a spread of the scourge. In general, observe as strictly as the 
circumstances will permit, the directions previously given for " Health of 
Poultry " and "Precautions in Sickness." These measures will tend to 
reduce the percentage of deaths, but the saving of all the flock need not be 
expected. 

Fowls which are too sick to eat should have every four or five hours a 
pill made after the following formula of Dr. Dickie: Blue mass, 60 grains j 
pulverized camphor, 25 grains; cayenne pepper, 30 grains; pulverized rhu- 
barb, 48 grains; laudanum, 60 drops. Mix and make twenty pills. After 
three or four pills have been taken, give to each bird half a teaspoonful of 
castor oil and ten drops of laudanum. Give a scanty drink of scalded sour 
milk, with the Douglass Mixture (see page 874) added in such quantities 
that twenty-five fowls will get a gill of it per day. It is also well to add a 
little tannic acid to the Douglass Mixture. Allow no other drink. The 
one here mentioned is recommended even if the pills are not used. If the 
, evacuations from the bowels become darker and of a firmer consistence, as 
, they should under this treatment, give a drink of alum-water, or strong 
I oak-bark tea, but no other, being careful not to make the change unless 
such a condition of the droppings has ensued. The latter drink tends to 
check the discharges. 

It is evident that the pills prescribed above are pretty " heroic." An- 

1 other meritorious remedy, especially in the earlier stages, or at any time 

when the crop remains full, is made of ten drops of strong tincture of 

' eucalyptus globulus, five grains of common salt and half a teaspoonful of 

I ground pepper, forcing it down in a tablespoonful of water (Parker). 

One writer vouches for the efficacy of the following: — Powdered 
garlic, one ounce; tincture of capsicum, two drachms; tincture of camphor, 
two drachms; tincture of rhubarb, a half-ounce; tincture of opium, one 
drachm; tincture of the oil of peppermint, three drachms; all well mixed 
and then shaken so that the garlic does not settle, the dose being six to eight 
drops in a teaspoonful of water three times a day. 

Since one flock responds to a given treatment more readily than another 
does, we make mention of other remedies which have been tried with more 
or less succes.-.. Take equal parts of red (or cayenne) pepper, alum, rosin 



382 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

and sulphur, mix well and put into the food once a day, a tablespoonful 
to three pints of scalded meal. Another remedy: Two tablespoonfuls of 
«psom salts, four of lime, and ten drops of tincture of iron, put into a 
gallon of meal. Again, coal oil is highly recommended, a few drops being 
put into the food, and is well worth a trial. The simple treatment of con- 
fining the fowls to a stiff paste of flour and water is of questionable efficacy, 
though it doubtless tends to lessen the rapidity in the action of the bowels, 
and, since it will thus retard the prostration, the paste may be used as a part 
of the food. 

To well fowls, and those slightly affected, give in the food a little 
■sulphur, soda, cayenne pepper and tincture of iron, a different one each day, 
and add carbolic acid or fluid carbolate to the drink. As food for both of 
these classes good authority favors warm boiled potatoes mashed up with 
bran (or wheat, oatmeal, or barley meal) and sour milk, mixed with a 
little pulverized charcoal and bicarbonate of soda. If the Douglass Mix- 
ture is added to the food, it will have a good effect on the well birds. As a 
preventive, nothing has been found that is better than coal oil, or kerosene, 
which may be given by soaking grain in it several hours before feeding it, 
or by mixing a tablespoonful in a half-gallon of cornmeal. Powdered 
charcoal in small quantities, put into the feed, will have a favorable tend- 
ency. For obvious reasons lice and mites should be kept away, the food 
be digestible and regularly given, the surroundings be absolutely clean, and 
all hygienic measures be observed to keep up the tone of the system. 

ROUP.— CROUP.— ASTHMA.— YAWS. 

Roup is the second of the two most dreaded diseases of fowls and is, 
therefore, given the second mention. It is a highly contagious malady 
which first affects the lining membrane of the beak and then extends to 
the eyes, throat and whole head, eventually involving the entire constitu- 
tion. According to its more manifest symptoms, it has been called diph- 
theria, sore head, swelled eyes, hoarseness, bronchitis, canker, snuffles, influ- 
enza, sore throat, quinsy, blindness, and by other names, though some of 
these are hereafter treated as separate diseases. It attacks all ages, but the 
older birds more readily. It occasionally kills young ducks and turkeys. 

Causes. — Filth, poor shelter, bad food, indeed anything which reduces 
the tone of the system will favor the development of the disorder. Ex- 
posure to wet and cold, and neglect of slight diseases of the nose, mouth, 
and air-passages are prolific sources of the ill or at least conditions inviting 
its appearance. It follows from the last remark that prompt attention to 
other less malignant disorders may prevent much trouble and save many 



POULTRY AND LARGE BIRDS. 383 

lives. It is contracted by a well fowl coming in contact with a sick one, 
or with the discharges from the eyes, nose and mouth, whether at the 
drinking-place or elsewhere. The effluvia arising from the droppings is 
an active provoking cause. If the discharge gets into the human eye 
■or on any break in the skin, it may produce serious inflammation, a fact 
which makes it necessary to use great caution in handling the affected 
animals. 

Symptoms. — These develop either slowly or rapidly, beginning with 
the general signs of a bad cold in the head, such as wheezing, coughing or 
sneezing, high fever and great thirst. The discharge from the nose and 
eyes is yellowish, being at first thin but growing thicker, opaque, very offen- 
sive, and clogging up or even closing the eyes, nostrils and throat; these 
parts and the whole head are swollen, sometimes enormously, so that 
blindness ensues, making the fowl unable to get its food, and thus hastening 
the decline of the system; pustular sores form about the head and in the 
throat, discharging a frothy mucus; the breathing is impeded; the crop 
often swells; the comb and wattles maybe pale or dark-colored; during 
the course of the disease the fowl is feeble and moping. A fatal case 
terminates in from three to eight days after the distinctive roup-symptoms 
| set in, and those which are not treated when an epidemic is prevailing will 
'generally be fatal. Upon opening a dead fowl one will find the liver and 
gall-bladder full of pus, the flesh soft, of a bad odor, and, particularly about 
'the lungs, slimy and spongy. 

Treatment. — It is of the highest importance that treatment begin as 

soon as the first symptoms appear. To detect the approach of the disease 

* — and any bird in the flock should be suspected if one has been infected — 

raise the wing and ascertain whether the feathers beneath it are stuck 

i together by the discharge from the nostrils during sleep. Keep a close 

I watch on the nostrils and relieve the slightest clogging. At night visit 

j the roosts with a lantern and listen particularly for evidences of obstructed 

\ breathing. Remove at once from the flock all infected and suspected 

! fowls, putting each by itself if practicable. Rigidly observe the directions 

J about cleanliness, disinfection, the removal of droppings, and other par- 

; ticulars which have been given for cholera. Take particular pains to keep 

the discharge out of the reach of well fowls, especially by the purification 

of drinking- vessels and other tainted objects; for which purpose carbolic 

acid will be a valuable agent. Give to the sick fowls warm, stimulating 

| food, with some cayenne pepper. Onions will have a good effect if 

i chopped fine and mixed in the feed. Provide warm, dry, gravelly or sandy 

shelter. The well fowls, too, should have absolutely wholesome food and 

housing. No remedy can be relied upon to cure all cases of malignant 



384 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

roup, but either or several will often be found measurably successful. A 
teaspoonful of castor oil is advisable in the beginning. No other medicine 
yet tried has been as good as the German Roup Pills, and they will cure 
when anything can. Along with them give as a stimulant three pills daily,, 
as large as a pea, made of mustard and ground ginger. Also give pepper- 
tea as a drink, as strong as for a human being. There is high authority in 
favor of giving three pills a day, as large as the fowl can swallow, made 
of equal parts of pulverized sulphur, powdered charcoal and new yeast, 
with some such stimulant as is mentioned above. In all cases, put a little 
powdered charcoal in the feed. When the disease persists for several days,, 
repeat the castor-oil pui'ge recommended for the beginning. 

Attention to the eyes, nostrils and face is absolutely essential. Wash 
the head thoi-oughly with a solution of chlorate of potash and warm water, 
equal parts, until the eyes and nostrils are opened and clean. Labarraque's 
Solution of Chlorinated Soda is a still better wash, one part of it to two of 
tepid water, and it should be used several times a day if the discharge is- 
excessive. Pure castile soap and warm water make another good wash. 
When the discharge from the nostrils is excessive, it is advisable to inject 
into them camphorated sweet oil, either through the external openings, or 
from the inside through the slits in the roof of the mouth. For the last 
operation, the small oil-can used about the sewing-machine will be con- 
venient. Nitric acid is sometimes applied to the nostrils with a feather two 
or three times a day, the old scab being removed each time. If the throat 
is clogged with secretions, clear it out and apply the Chlorinated Soda be- 
fore mentioned with a camel's-hair brush. When the throat is swollen, re- 
lief may be afforded by painting it with a weak solution of lunar caustic 
(nitrate of silver), and putting into the drink ten drops of a solution of 
equal parts of sulphite of magnesia and carbolate of lime. Difficulty in 
breathing may be relieved in any stage by steaming; for which purpose 
hold the head in a vessel containing scalded bran, still steaming, closing a 
cloth neatly around the head to prevent the escape of the steam at the 
sides, being careful not to keep the fowl in this position so long at one 
time as to suffocate it. A hot stone in vinegar would be an excellent sub- 
stitute for the scalded bran, and, indeed, some vinegar in the bran would be 
serviceable. If patient bathing and steaming do not reduce the swelling 
in the eyes, it may be necessary to open the tumor with a sharp knife and 
remove the deposit. When the fowl is blind, so that it cannot eat, the 
food should be put within its reach, or even brought to its mouth, and al- 
ways be so soft that the soreness of the throat shall not prevent swallowing. 

When the fowl has recovered, keep it away from the flock some time 
and give it for several days a tonic, as tincture of iron, or rusty nails in the 



POULTRY AND LARGE BIRDS. 



385 



drink, or cayenne pepper, garlic, asafoetida, gentian or onions in the food. 
The Douglass Mixture (see page S74) is among the best of tonics.. 

GAPES. 

Chickens, turkeys, ducks and other domestic fowls, as well as many- 
species of wild birds, are subject to a disease which is known by the gen- 
eral name " gapes," so called from the chief and universal symptom. 

Cause. — The cause of this destructive malady is the presence in the 
windpijDe of a pale-reddish worm, popularly known as the gape-worm. 




209. Gape-Worm when the Female is Laden 
with Eggs. 



The female is about five-eighths of an inch long, having a diameter of one- 
thirty-fifth of an inch. The male is one-eighth of an inch long, with a 
diameter of one-fiftieth of an inch, and is always attached to the female as a 
J short branch, so that the two present the appearance of a single forked worm. 
The head of the female is much larger than that of the male, and is sup- 
plied with six lips. Of the accompanying illustrations in 208, 1 shows 
the two sexes together, natural size; the upper part of the same highly 



3SG TH 3 VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

magnified is represented in 2. The tail of the female is shown in 3, this 
particular one illustrating a marked instance of the general tendency of 
this part to turn up in folds. The tail of the male, terminating in an ex- 
tended cup or sucker, by means of which is effected the union with the 
female, is shown by 4 ; 5 is one of the eggs, while 6 is the same with the 
embryo far advanced in development. All of these except the first are 
much magnified. 

This worm is very prolific in the generation of its young, and pro- 
duces them by depositing eggs either directly in the windpipe or in the 
food, drink, droppings, soil, or other places from which they can be intro- 
duced into the throat. The cuts in 209 exhibit the gape-worm when the 
female is heavily laden with eggs, which are best seen on the jointed 
branches. The second and fourth are life-size, the first and third being the 
same highly magnified. The eggs will retain their life through much se- 
vere exposure and harsh treatment, and their small size (about 1 -250th of 
an inch in their greatest diameter) shields them from notice. Indeed, it is 
believed that even the lice carry them on their bodies to the fowls, and 
this view perhaps sufficiently explains the facts from which some have 
concluded that the gape-worm is one of the forms assumed by the louse. 
The disease occurs oftenest in midsummer, in unthrifty birds, or in those 
which have filthy quarters and unwholesome food and drink. It is most 
common in young birds, though the older ones are not entirely exempt. It 
prevails especially on premises where large flocks are kept. 

Symptoms. — Constant gaping is the distinctive symptom, and is at- 
tended with difficult breathing, wheezing, coughing, unsuccessful attempts 
to swallow, drooping, and if not arrested, general debility and death. 
Every instance of gaping must not, however, be assumed as a case of real 
gapes, for it may arise from mucus or other obstruction in the throat, or 
from "crop-bound." The experienced observer will detect the ailment 
by the difference in severity of the symptom. Yet the treatment detailed 
below may be safely followed. 

Treatment. — This aims at the removal and destruction of the worms 
in the windpipe. The easiest and most certain treatment consists in putting 
some clear, transparent carbolic acid into a spoon or iron saucer and hold- 
ing it over a lamp until dense white fumes arise, the fowl's head being held 
in these fumes until it is nearly suffocated. A number can be subjected to 
this treatment at once by putting them into a close box in which the fumes 
ai"e generated, but extreme care will be necessary about continuing it so 
long as to kill them. The fumes of sulphur, similarly applied, are a good 
substitute, as is also the vapor arising from heated spirits of turpentine or 
creosote. 



POULTRY AXD LARGE BIRDS. 



:;s7 



Another excellent treatment is to strip a feather of the web, except 
•.more or less of the tip, according- to the size of the patient, dip it in turpen- 
tine or kerosene oil, thrust it into the windpipe and turn it around several 
times before withdrawing it. Some of the worms will come out with it, 
others will be killed, and still others will be immediately coughed up. In 
whatever way they are removed, they should be caught on a paper and 
burned. The same treatment in substance may be effected, with more cer- 
tainty of removing the worms, by stripjDing a 
feather as just directed (leaving about three-fourths 
of an inch of the web for a chick of two to six 
weeks), bending it down, without breaking or 
cracking it, just below the web that is left, so that 
it will make a smooth, sharp angle that can be 
easily thrust into the throat. The accompanying 
cut shows the feather before and after it is bent. 
While an assistant holds the patient, open the beak 
with the finger and thumb of one hand, take the 

| quill in the other, dip it in a solution of three parts 

j of spirits of tui'pentine to one of water, and thrust 

i the sharp angle into the windpipe as far as it will 
go, twist it rapidly around, meanwhile drawing it 

I out. A worm will almost surely come away with v 

j it.. Repeat the operation three or four times to v^ 

I effect a cure, burning the worms that are removed. 
Care must be taken to insure the insertion of the ^ 
feather into the windpipe, not into the gullet. * 
Thrust it down through the opening which an ex- 
amination will reveal in the middle of the tongue. 
The size of the feather should be carefully adjust- 
ed to the fowl, being large enough to fill the wind- 
pipe prettv closely. Mr. T. Conner, in recom- 
mending this method, says he " never failed to 
cure the worst case of gapes in this way." Good 
results may be expected if the feather is dipped into oil, salt-water, a weak 
decoction of tobacco, or a weak solution of carbolic or sulphurous acid, in- 
stead of the turpentine. A horse-hair, twisted up so as to form a fine loop, 
may be successfully used to remove the worms, being twisted around as 
directed for the feather, but it has no tendency to expel such as may not be 
reached. 

Turpentine smeared on the beak and neck is by some said to be suffi- 
cient. Camphor pills as large as a pea, or pieces of camphor-gum as large 




o. A Feathlr Stripped and 
Uent I'oK the Removal of 
Gai'e-Wohms. 



388 



THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 



as grains of wheat, once a day, may be found sufficient, either alone or in> 
connection with camphor or turpentine in the water or food, ten drops to a 
pint. Powdered alum or sulphur blown down the windpipe will kill the 
worms (and the patient too, if administered too freely or too often). Again,, 
by putting the fowls into a box covered with fine muslin and dusting lime 
through it the worms may be destroyed, but caution must be used lest the 
birds be smothered. Even as simple a treatment as crushed corn soaked in 
alum-water or kerosene oil is commended by some. The practice of 
pinching the throat to cause the worms to loose their hold, so they can be 
coughed up, is of doubtful wisdom, but may be tried when the windpipe 
is so full as to threaten suffocation. It may then be found necessary, when 
all other expedients have failed, to dislodge the worms by surgical means. 
Almost any one can perform the required operation by holding the wind- 
pipe firmly, so it can not slip or roll, and then making a short slit with a 
keen blade not far from the throat, along the windpipe, and not across it. 
After removing the worms and anointing the inside with weak carbolic 
acid, turpentine or kerosene oil, sew up only the cut that is made in the out- 
side of the skin, leaving the windpipe to heal of its own accord. 

Preventive Measures. — Remove the sick fowls from the flock to pre- 
vent infection. Burn all that die of the malady, and all worms that are 
found. Soak with kerosene oil, crude petroleum or strong carbolic acid 
the coops, roosts and grounds before admitting well fowls to them. Rigidly 
avoid all food that has been in the infected place, and burn it. When the 
disease has invaded a flock, add to the drinking-water fluid carbolate, cam- 
phor or lime. Boil the water before giving it if it is suspected of being 
the cause. When the premises are badly infected, raise the young fowls 
indoors, or in any place completely removed from danger. In some cases 
it may be found that the feed is the sole cause of the disease, and a change 
to corn (crushed if the fowls are too small to swallow it whole) may 
give complete relief, though the precautions for cleaning the apartments- 
must still be observed and the water be kept pure. 



COLD.— CATARRH.— COUGH.— BRONCHITIS. 



All of these are substantially different stages and symptoms of the same 
disorder. Exposure to wet and cold is the general cause. Cough is, in- 
deed, a symptom, not a disease, and is connected with the other three. It 
may, however, attend other diseases, and when its cause is not known the 
articles pertaining to roup and cholera should especially be consulted. 
Bronchitis is but an advanced stage or aggravated form of cold or catarrh. 
The three are marked by more or less discharge from the eyes and nostrils,, 



POULTRY AND LARGE BIRDS. 389 

sneezing, wheezing, and, particularly in bronchitis, coughing and a rat- 
tling, hoarse sound in the throat. To distinguish these from roup, see 
whether the discharge is offensive. If it is, roup is to be treated; if not, 
catarrh or bronchitis. In all cases of doubt, use the precautions detailed 
for roup. 

Treatment. — Remove the fowls to warm, dry shelter and give warm, 
soft food. These measures will usually be sufficient, but the following will 
be valuable as aids: For cold or catarrh merely — and no distinction between 
them is here made — put three drops of the strong tincture of aconite in a pint 
of the drink; if there is swelling about the throat, two or three grains of the 
second trituration of mercurius three times a day will be useful; euphrasia, 
the same as to form, dose and frequency, is desirable for worse instances of 
this symptom. For bronchitis, in addition to the measures just named, give 
sweetened water for the drink, adding a few drops of nitric or sulphuric 
acid. For both catarrh and bronchitis give some stimulant, as ginger or 
cayenne pepper in the food. The German Roup Pills will also be found of 
service. Treat catarrh and cold promptly, to keep them from developing 
into roup. Do not neglect bronchitis, lest it run into consumption. 

CONSUMPTION. 

This arises from neglected colds, catarrh and bronchitis, as also from 
long-continued in-and-in breeding, confinement in dark, unwholesome 
quarters, and heredity. Its essential feature is a tubercular deposit in the 
lungs, with a general derangement of the constitution. 

Symptoms. — In the earlier stages there are no obvious symptoms. 
Later, a cough comes on, with weakness and loss of flesh, however good 
the feeding. When a cough persists in spite of all treatment, consumption 
should be suspected. 

Treatment. — " Take a sharp hatchet and apply it just back of the 
comb," is Mr. Ward's laconic advice. The affected fowl is worthless for 
flesh or for breeding. 

PIP. 

By this term, which has been indiscriminately applied to so many affec- 
tions, is here meant the disorder which is marked by a horny scale at the 
point of the tongue. It is only a symptom of some disease, but it demands 
treatment to avoid a possible case of catarrh or roup. It is probably caused 
by exposure in damp or cold weather. 

Symptoms. — Beside the scale on the tip of the tongue, there will be 



390 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

noticeable a peculiar pip, or "zip" noise; breathing disturbed and effected 
through the mouth; dry tongue; moping and retiring mood; loss of appe- 
tite; irregular and dilatory movements; generally costiveness, perhaps from 
indigestion; sometimes considerable heat of the body, especially in the belly 
near the thighs. 

Treatment. — Afford dry, warm shelter. If there be costiveness or 
indigestion, give a dose of castor oil. Apply to the tongue and nostrils a 
weak solution of chlorinated soda, if any local remedy is used, but do not 
clip off the end of the tongue, as some have advised. Spongia, as recom- 
mended for mercurius in catarrh, may be used on general principles. The 
treatment, which consists merely in giving two or three grains of black 
pepper each day in fresh butter may be resorted to with a good deal of 
confidence. In any case, give no food except such as has been cooked and 
is easily digested. 

CHIP. 

Chip, or chipping, so named from the peculiar noise made by the pa- 
tient, is a disease which resembles roup, and attacks young chickens, with 
very fatal results if not promptly treated. It arises from exposure to wet, 
in consequence of which the down on the body is kept wet for a long time. 

Symptoms. — The plaintive "chip" is continued; the feathers droop 
and lose their gloss; the chicken is very tender when touched, retires to a 
solitarv place, sits trembling constantly and violently, having fever and 
heat of the body, and gradually sinks and dies. 

Treatment. — Remove the patient to a dry, warm place, handling it 
gently. In the early stages give colchicum every two or three hours, ten 
drops of the strong tincture being put into a pint of water, and ten to fif- 
teen drops of this dilution being taken for a dose. 

CANKERS ABOUT THE MOUTH AND HEAD. 

These have been already alluded to as being perhaps particular mani- 
festations of roup, and it is best, in general, to proceed with the treatment 
detailed for that malady. Such cankers, if they exist independently of roup, 
are caused by poor housing, filth and unwholesome food. They are marked 
by a watery discharge from the eyes and a somewhat sticky secretion in 
the mouth and throat. If it is known that roup is not the seat of the dis- 
order, it will be sufficient to wash the affected parts with warm water 
(adding castile soap if they are gummy), clean out the throat and mouth 
with a weak solution of chlorate of potash, alum and water, swab off the 



POULTRY AND LARGE IURDS. :V.)] 

ulcers with a feather or very soft brush, and apply powdered borax in small 
quantities to the spots thus made bare. Stir into the food a little sulphur. 

DIPHTHERIA. 

Reference has been made to this as a manifestation of roup. Though 
it is treated separately by some, it is deemed best in this work, for precau- 
tionary reasons if for no other, to refer the reader to the remarks upon that 
disease. It may, however, be remarked that, if one has a fowl suffering 
from a mouth and throat filled with mucus, and attended with small white 
ulcers about the tongue, it is advisable to blow into the mouth and throat 
powdered burnt alum, or equal parts of chlorate of potash and pulverized 
borax, being careful to remove the patient to prevent possible infection. 
Should this effect a cure, one may be confident that the disorder was not 
diphtheria in any true sense of the term. 

SORE EYES AND HEAD. 

The eyes may become sore from dust, excessive heat, dampness, and 
other causes, and give out a watery discharge. The whole head may be- 
come involved in the inflammation. Such mild affections are to be dis- 
tinguished from cankers and from roup; but it is always safe to keep a 
sharp look-out for roup when the eyes are sore. 

Treatment. — Wash the parts with a weak solution of white vitriol 
(sulphate of zinc), or with alum-water, or with a solution of alum and 
camphor. If the discharge has become gummy or hardened, remove it 
with warm water and castile soap, following up with one of the lotions 
here named, or with one of sulphate of lead. Give sulphur in the food, 
using the powdered form. Avoid the exciting causes mentioned above. 

INDIGESTION.— DYSPEPSIA. 

This disorder is a failure to properly digest and assimilate the food, 
and exhibits a variety of causes, conditions and results. It more frequently 
arises from too rich, unwholesome, or excessive food, too free use of grain 
and other hard feed, cold, general weakness, to say nothing of it as a symp- 
tom of various other affections. 

Symptoms. — Listless mood; want of appetite; sometimes scanty drop- 
pings, sometimes free, as in diarrhoea and dysentery; fever; crop swollen 
in some cases, with a "tucked-up" appearance, as if from pain in the 
stomach; perhaps a sickly, yellowish hue in the comb and wattles, indica- 



392 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

tive of disorder in the liver; in young chickens, sometimes sinking of the 
breast-bone. 

Treatment. — Give less food and only such as is soft, mild and easily 
digested. Limit the drink. Give cut green grass or chopped onions in 
the food. See Crop-Bound, Constipation and Diarrhoea. 

LIVER DISEASE. 

This name, used in all domestic practice with such an indefinite mean- 
ing, is here applied to a disease of the liver which causes loss of flesh, a 
sickly appearance about the comb, wattles and head, and sudden death. 
The liver, upon opening the dead fowl, is found soft, with cheesy matter in 
•different parts of it, and sometimes a broken blood-vessel. It is said to be 
■more common in Cochins. It is best to destroy an affected fowl at once. 
One authority recommends small doses of mercury followed by cod-liver 
oil and Parrish's Food as being of measurable value. 

CROP-BOUND AND WATER-CROP. 

The crop may become engorged in consequence of the swallowing of 
a bone, hard corn or other indigestible food which closes the passage into the 
stomach. The latter organ being empty, hunger may induce the taking of 
more food, and thus aggravate the difficulty. Indigestion alone may cause it. 
In addition to the hardness of the crop, the fowl is uneasy and tosses its head. 

Treatment. — Give very little or no food for a time. If this does 
not afford relief, pour down the throat some warm water and gently knead 
the crop for an hour, or until its contents are soft, then give two teaspoon- 
fuls of castor oil. If the difficulty still persists, take a sharp knife and cut 
a slit an inch long, more if necessary, in the top or at the side, and remove 
the contents gently but thoroughly with the handle of a spoon, afterward 
passing the finger, previously oiled, all over the inside, to be sure that 
everything is taken out (particularly from the opening toward the stomach). 
Sew up the external skin with white silk, or, better still, with surgeons' 
thread, being careful not to stitch it to the crop, and leaving the wound in 
the latter to heal of its own accord. Anoint the parts with witch-hazel 
oil. Give no food or drink for twenty-four hours, and for a week there- 
after only a small allowance of soft, easily-digested food. 

By water-crop is meant a form of crop-bound which results from 
greediness in taking drink. The crop is not so hard and may contain wind 
or gas with the water. The disorder is corrected by cutting down the 
feed and the drink for some days, and putting chopped onions or garlic, or 




393 



394 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

cayenne pepper m what food is given. Also put into the morning feed 
sal volatile, half a teaspoonful to each fowl, and into the drink a little 
nitric acid. Do not mistake this for true crop-bound. 

COSTIVENESS.— CONSTIPATION. 

Costiveness is caused by indigestion, taking cold, too close confine- 
ment, too much dry food and too little green, deficient supply of good 
water, and the like. It is indicated by frequent attempts to evacuate the 
bowels, either wholly unsuccessful or resulting only in small, hard and 
dark droppings. The fowl is uneasy and perhaps staggers. 

Treatment. — Give an abundance of green food, and a soft mixture 
of bran and oatmeal. Ten drops of sulphate of magnesia may be added 
to a pint of the drinking-water. Along with an observance of these direc- 
tions for the food it will be well to give aconite until the restlessness disap- 
pears, following then with nux vomica; or, if a cold is the cause, give 
bryonia. The last three remedies are to be given on the homoeopathic 
plan, in doses as for children, according to the age. 

DIARRHCEA AND DYSENTERY. 

These disorders may result from an excessive use of green food, tainted 
food or impure water, extreme heat, exposure in damp weather, filthy quar- 
ters, general indigestion, poisons, or any inflammatory affection of the in- 
testines or stomach. 

Symptoms. — Loose droppings of different colors, which befoul the 
feathers; lassitude and loss of condition. In dysentery, which results from 
a diseased condition of the intestines, the droppings are more frothy, min- 
gled with blood and attended with rapid prostration. A form of diarrhoea 
essentially different from the two described, occurs in old female fowls, in 
which a white discharge comes away more or less constantly, often drib- 
bling out, and keeps the feathers about the vent encrusted with a white, 
chalk-like deposit. It is doubtless due to some derangement in the shell- 
making function, and can best be treated by promoting the general health 
anil using the means noted below. 

Treatment. — Give two pills daily, as large as a pea, made of a mix- 
ture of five grains of powdered chalk, five of rhubarb and three of cayenne 
pepper, adding one-half grain of opium in severe cases. Another good 
remedy is camphorated spirits on barley-meal, three to six grains for each 
bird according to the age; or ten to twenty drops of the same may be put 
in a j^int of the drink. For mild cases, and in the early stages of others, 



POULTRY AND LARGE BIRDS. 395 

finely-powdered chalk on boiled rice may be sufficient. The remedy last 
named is recommended for the white discharges of old females, for which 
the pills prescribed above should also he tried, as well as a little lime-water 
(see page 367). Restrict the drink in all forms of these disorders, and 
put into it a little alum or tincture of iron. Dysentery, with bloody dis- 
charges, is a serious disorder; it is best to give a dose of castor oil and fol- 
low with three to six drops of laudanum every few hours, supplying an ex- 
clusive diet of mild gruels. It is of importance that the patient be kept 
quiet and apart from the flock, especially in dysentery- Homoeopathic 
doses, every two hours, of ipecac and chamomilla can be recommended 
with confidence, as can arsenicum when bad food is the cause. In spite of 
all treatment diarrhoea may become chronic. If so, and even before, small 
doses of sweet oil may be found beneficial. In all cases keep a sharp look- 
out for cholera and isolate the affected bird when you are at all doubtful 
regarding the nature of the disorder. Bone-dust is used as a preventive of 
diarrhoea and it is well to put a little in the feed for some days after a cure 
has been effected, and also to thus occasionally administer it to well fowls. 

WORMS. 

Worms in the stomach will produce substantially the same symptoms 
as indigestion. If they are in the bowels, costiveness or diarrhoea may be 
more marked, while the fowl will be uneasy and pick at the vent if they 
are in the lower part of the intestine. In all cases there will be more or 
less loss of flesh, and often diminished gloss in the feathers, while the bird 
has either an impaired or voracious appetite. The only unmistakable 
symptom is the presence of worms in the droppings when they first pass 
out. An unhealthy condition of the digestive organs is the main cause. 

Treatment. — A dose of castor oil, followed by a light addition of 
sulphur to the food, may expel the worms and restore the general health. 
A little cayenne pepper in the feed and rusty nails in the water will aid the 
cure. The use of cina and santonine can be highly recommended. 

INFLAMMATION OF THE FORE-STOMACII. 

Inflammation of the stomach may arise from improper food, such as 
that which is too stimulating. Its symptoms are not readily distinguished, 
but it may be suspected when a fowl pines away without an obvious cause 
and chooses only soft, cold food, especially if there be increased thirst, a 
"tucked-up" appearance, and an abnormal heat in the fore part of the 
belly. Loose, corroding droppings may be noticed. 



396 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

Treatment. — Give only soft, mild food and not very cold drink, 
-using the treatment, in the main, that is detailed for Indigestion. 

CORE. 

This is a deposit or excrescence in the gullet, or in the organs of diges- 
tion further down, sometimes being dark, sometimes brownish-yellow, 
sometimes ochre-colored and mingled with blood. 

Treatment. — For obvious reasons it will hardly be detected unless a 
dead fowl is opened. Tben others of the flock may, as a pi'ecaution, be 
treated with mercurius, china and silicea, upon the homoeopathic principle. 

PARALYSIS— APOPLEXY.— MEGRIMS STAGGERS. 

These are all affections of the nervous system due to an excessive 
flow of blood to the head, or to a weak condition in the blood-vessels of 
the brain which makes them incapable of bearing their normal pressure. 
When a fowl is made to stagger from this cause, or to run in a circle, or 
flutter, without other manifestations, the disorder is called megrims, staggers, 
dizziness or vertigo. This may become chronic and thus leave no doubt 
regarding its nature; but mere dizziness and staggering also appear in 
constipation, roup, cholera, and other diseases characterized by weakness. 
Geese sometimes stagger in consequence of parasites in the ear, and ani- 
mals suffering from such a disorder will show symptoms so similar to 
those of real staggers that the difference will scarcely be detected. If the 
staggers are followed by falling and unconsciousness, apoplexy has come on. 
Either of these forms may show a temporary or permanent relief as soon 
as the blood leaves the brain. Should a blood-vessel be ruptured, the 
• disorder is known as paralysis, and the fowl either dies at once or suffers 
an impairment or loss of the use of one or more of its limbs. Such par- 
alysis may be relieved and occasionally the recovery may be apparently 
complete. 

Cause. — In addition to the above causes, high feeding conduces to 
the pressure on the brain, Indian corn being especially bad for some breeds. 
Any too stimulating food tends to the same end, as well as mechanical in- 
juries, violent exertions, disorders of the spine, or even the mild straining 
in laying an egg. Some of these influences may give rise to temporary 
or permanent paralysis in the leg or wing, which will disappear if the 
exciting cause is removed. 

Treatment. — In all of these disorders, remove the patient from the 
flock and keep it free from excitement and in a dark place. Hold the 



POULTRY AND LARGE BIRDS. 397 

head under a stream of cold water to drive the blood from the brain, and 
afterward give a light diet. Give aconite if the skin is dry and hot; bella- 
donna, for heat about the head and convulsive movements of the head;, 
mix vomica, for the first indications of the disorder; opium for the uncon- 
scious state of apoplexy. Beside this treatment, and independently of it,, 
paralysis may be benefited by one-sixteenth grain doses of strychnine, but 
it should not be resorted to until a day or two after the first paroxysm has 
occurred and the fowl has begun to hobble about and take its food. Either 
of these diseases may be profitably treated for some days after apparent 
recovery with two doses per day of bromide of potassium, four to ten 
grains at a time, according to the age. It may be remarked, finallv, that 
treatment has been detailed for fowls that are of a particular value for 
food, exhibitions, or eggs for the table, since those of little value are not 
worth the pains, and no affected bird is fit for breeding purposes. 

RHEUMATISM, CRAMPS AND GOUT. 

Rheumatism is generally caused by exposure to wet, as in the grass in 

the morning, damp coops or roosts, and by hereditary influences. Cramps 

may arise from rheumatism, or from the same causes as the latter, but 

some forms are produced by indigestion, internal inflammation, diarrhoea 

and dysentery. In rheumatism the limbs suffer an impairment or loss of 

j use, are hot, swollen and stiff, the toes being often drawn out of shape; the 

( fowl persistently sits down and can not use the perch; the heart may 

.' become involved and thus induce death, preceded by excitable uneasiness. 

In the treatment, give warm, dry shelter, and good, stimulating, easily 

digested food, including a little cooked meat each dav. Rub the affected 
. . . 

I parts with hot mustard-water, immediately wiping them dry. Oil of 

1 witch-hazel is a good ointment, as are also lard and butter. 

Gout attacks Asiatics especially, and is characterized by hot, swollen 

j and inflamed feet. Keep the fowl in a warm, dry place, and feed as for 
Rheumatism. Give three drops of the wine of colchicum twice a day and 
a quarter to a half of a grain of calomel at night. Rub the limbs with 
sweet oil. Give bryonia to turkeys suffering from this disease. 

DEBILITY AND LEG-WEAKNESS. 

Close confinement without fresh air, continued exhibitions, shock or 
fright, injuries, or imperfect development of the nervous system, may pro- 
duce general debility. The symptoms are loss of spirits, appetite and con- 
dition, with constitutional prostration. Insure rest. Give nourishing food,, 



■398 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

a. raw fresh egg being a good diet while the appetite is impaired, followed 
up with a little cooked meat. As a tonic, put n few drops of muriate of iron 
an the drinking-water, rusty nails in the water being also of service. 

Leg-zveakness is due to prolonged in-and-in breeding, to high feeding, 
which increases the weight of the body more rapidly than the muscular 
strength, and to deficiency of the earthy matter of the bones. It most often 
attacks Cochins, Brahmas and other large breeds, and young cocks are 
more liable to it than others of a flock. Its nature should be closely 
studied so as to distinguish it from rheumatism, gout and debility. Its sole 
manifestation is repeated or constant squatting on the hocks or belly, some- 
times with utter inability to stand. In the way of treatment, feed wheat, 
barley, meat and other articles that do not tend to produce fat. In warm 
weather dip the legs in cold water twice a day. Give three times a day a 
pill made of a mixture of five grains of phosphate of lime, one-sixteenth of 
3l grain of strychnine, and a half-grain of sulphate of quinine. Also supply 
a tonic of iron, a few drops of the tincture or some rusty nails in water. 
-Occasionally give lime-water (sec page 367) as a drink. 

SCALY LEGS.— ELEPHANTIASIS. . ■ 

This chiefly attacks old birds of the Asiatic breeds, and is caused by an 
•insect which, with its eggs and cast-ofF skin, increases the size of the scales 
which form on the legs. Too close confinement, over-feeding, damp or 
■muddy quarters, insufficient meat and too little green food are exciting 
-causes. The insects sometimes infest the comb and then require the treat- 
ment given below. The disease is contagious and may be transmitted to 
other animals or to man. It is characterized by a whitish scurf on the legs 
.and toes, sometimes a half-inch thick on the former, which may grow hard 
if neglected. 

Treatment. — Keep the fowl in a clean, dry place. Wash the legs 
well with water and soap, using a stiff brush to remove a part of the scurf 
.at a time if it has become hard; then smear with lard and sulphur mixed, 
or with kerosene oil. Lard and coal-tar make a good ointment; vinegar or 
glycerine may be sufficient for mild cases. Some use a wash of a weak . 
solution of sugar of lead in the morning and apply a dilution of creosote 
at night. Stoddard's Poultry Ointment will effect a cure without any of 
the above remedies. It should be kept on the shelf in every poultry-house 
convenient for use. Night is the best time to apply it. This disorder is 
sometimes called itch, but by the latter term we generally mean a condition 
in which parasites are in the skin. Another form of itch in poultry is con- 
sidered on the next page. 



POULTRY AND LARGE BIRDS. 399 

BUMBLE-FOOT.— BOILS—ABSCESSES.— TUMORS. 

Bumble- Foot is a swelling, wart, or corn on the ball of the foot which 
•grows in size, becomes soft, and ulcerates. It is caused by bruises from 
.alighting heavily on hard surfaces, and from roosting on small or rough 
perches. 

Treatment. — Remove the patient to quarters without perches. If the 
part be painted with iodine in the first stages, a cure will often be effected. 
Should the swelling continue and be slow in ulcerating, bind on a poultice 
•of bread or turnip. After it has " gathered," open freely with a sharp 
blade, . wash out the sore with warm water and castile soap, and dip the 
foot two or three times a day in water, to which has been added sulphate of 
copper in the proportion of one-fourth of an ounce to a quart of water. 
During the formation of pus, and while it is discharging, give mercurius. 

Boils and Abscesses may occur on any part of the body, and require 
the same treatment, in the main, as is recommended for Bumble-Foot. 

Fatty Tumors may form on various parts without causing any serious 
trouble aside from their inconvenience. As treatment, cut them out with a 
sharp knife, preserving the skin so it can be drawn completely over the 
opening. Sew the skin together, leaving a small hole at the lowest part for 
the pus to escape. Put on the sore thus left a lotion of calendula or arnica 
for a few days. Supply wholesome food and quarters to jiromote the health. 

CHICKEN-POX AND ITCH. 

Chicken-Pox. — This is characterized by small ulcers on the head and 
face, on which scabs will form. It is not to be confounded with roup; nor 
with the dry, horny scales which sometimes form on the face. It is con- 
tagious but not dangerous, occurs principally in cold, wet weather, and per- 
haps results from peculiar atmospheric conditions. In the treatment, keep 
the parts clean with water and castile soap and apply vinegar or a strong 
solution of chlorate of potash, giving a little sulphur internally. Put a tea- 
spoonful each of pulverized charcoal and sulphur in a pint of soft food. To 
prevent contagion, keep the sick fowls from the flock. 

Itch. — Fowls that are kept in unclean quarters and without fresh 
water are subject, in summer, to an itching- eruption, with more or less loss 
of feathers. Insure absolute cleanliness. Give sulphur once daily for three 
•days; then staphisagria for the same time; finishing with sulphur. If the 
eruption takes the form of ulcers, give dulcamara. It will be noticed that this 
disorder is not characterized by the presence of parasites in the skin, as is the 
case with itch in the human body. Scrupulous cleanliness may suffice. 




400 



POULTRY AND LARGE IURDS. |()1 

WHITE-COMB AND SCURFY SKIN. 

When fowls, especially Cochins, are kept in small, unhealthy quarters, 
or are deprived of fresh green food, a whitish, dust-like scurf sometimes 
appears at the bottom of the comb, afterward covers all of it, and then ex- 
tends over the wattles and neck. The feathers on the affected parts lose 
their web, the bare quill being left, and it may in turn drop off, the fowl 
dying in extreme cases. The disorder is contagious. After recovery, the 
feathers will come off at the next moulting season. 

Treatment. — Remove the exciting causes mentioned above, in the 
diet and location. Apply Stoddard's Poultry Ointment, or a mixture of 
tar and sulphur. Good authority claims that turmeric has a special efficacy; 
it may be used in an ointment made of one-quarter of an ounce of turmeric 
and one ounce of cocoanut oil. If lard be substituted for the cocoa nut oil, 
as it may be, the ointment should be made fresh for every application, and 
should be occasionally removed thoroughly from the affected parts. Give 
internally ten to forty drops of castor oil, according to the age, with a tea- 
spoonful of powdered sulphur in the food. Remove the affected fowls to 
prevent contagion. 

A scurf resulting from the same causes as white-comb may appear 
• about the face, comb and neck, perhaps in the form of dry, bony scales, 
I but without the distinctive features of the disease last treated. The meas- 
ures given for white-comb are, however, to be adopted. Do not confound 
this with roup or chicken-pox because of the similar symptoms. 

BLACK-ROT. 

In consequence of indigestion, lack of variety in the feed, want of exer- 
cise or of green food, the comb may turn black, the feet and legs swell, and 
general loss of flesh take place. The malady is known as black-rot, and 
probably occurs oftenest in Spanish fowls. 

Treatment. — This is useless except in the early stages. Give then 
a light dose of castor oil, following with warm, nourishing food and some 
such simple tonic as rusty nails in the drink, or tincture of iron. Observe 
the general directions given for Indigestion. 

MOTTLED FACE AND EARS. 

Red spots sometimes appear on the face of black Spanish fowls, and 
on the ear-lobes of Leghorns and similar breeds. The keeping of the sexes 
together is the cause, and their separation the cure and prevention. Sweet 



402 the; veterinary doctor. 

oil, spirits of turpentine, or a superior article of whiskey may be smeared 
on to restore the original color. Confinement in dark quarters will aid, and 
it will also produce that whiteness of these parts which fanciers so much 
desire when exhibiting fowls at the public shows. 

BAD MOULTING AND FLEDGING. 

The period of moulting, in which the old feathers are shed and new 
ones come in, is a critical one for old fowls in particular, and only less so 
for others, in consequence of the drain on the digestive and other functions 
incident to the formation of the new coat. The process may be made slow 
or irregular by improper food, close confinement, prolonged in-and-in 
■breeding, and other debilitating influences, and will then be marked by in- 
•activity and general wasting. Akin to this function, not only in nature but 
also in origin and treatment, is fledging, or the formation of the first coat on 
young fowls. 

Treatment. — This is mainly the same for both moulting and fledg- 
ing. To assist the function, it is well in all cases to give a little tincture of 
iron, or to put some rusty nails in the drink, and slightly increase the al- 
lowance of lean meat. Add Douglass Mixture (see page 366) to the 
drink, a teaspoonful to each pint. Give soft warm food in the morning, 
and, for old birds especially, grain at night. Keep the fowls warm and out 
of the wet. Calcarea carbonica and agaricus are valuable remedies. 

SHOOTING-THE-RED. 

In turkeys the development of " the red " about the head and neck is 
as natural as moulting and fledging are to all birds. It is so unmistakable 
in its manifestations as to need no description. To assist the function, make 
powders of three parts of cassia bark, ten of ginger, one of gentian, one of 
anise and five of carbonate of iron. Give to each twenty tui'keys, in the 
feed, a teaspoonful twice a day, commencing two weeks before it is time 
for the red to appear, and continuing some weeks afterward. 

LICE. 

Lice absorb the juices of the body and cause persistent pecking and 
scratching, great depression, loss of flesh, and even death. The symptoms 
are such as to create a suspicion of some serious constitutional derange- 
ment, and all poultry sick from a cause that is not certainly known should 
be examined to ascertain whether these pests are on the body. They are 



POULTRY AND LARGK BIRDS. 403 

bred in great numbers in filthy quarters and nests, and in flocks deprived 
of earth-baths. They are especially prone to take shelter in the tufts of 
crested birds. 

Treatment. — Attend to the directions for " Cleanliness " given on 
page 361), remembering that the droppings and other filth are favorite 
haunts. Thoroughly dust into the roots of the feathers Persian Insect 
Powder, preferably with one of the powder blowers or bellows, In the 
absence of this, dip the fowls in a bath made of one part of carbolic acid 
and sixty of water. A good expedient is the application of suds of car- 
bolic soap on such places as are specially infested. The use of any such 
fluids as these should be attended with caution to prevent colds. An oint- 
ment of sulphur, kerosene oil and lard may be spread under the wings of 
full-grown fowls, but young ones have been injured and even killed by a 
too free use of kerosene, as well as by sulphur when mixed with lard. 
Smearing with simple lard, lard oil, or whale oil, is better for the young. 
A thorough rubbing or dusting with powdered sulphur has often been suf- 
ficient, and yellow snuff is highly recommended for the same purpose. 
Wormwood and tansy teas are good, as well as oil of fennel. Absinthum 
and sulphur are good internal remedies. Tone up the system with cayenne 
I pepper, iron, nourishing food and cleanly quarters. 

RED MITES. 

These are scarcely less troublesome than lice, are exceedingly annoy- 
ing, and will survive very harsh treatment. 

Treatment. — Proceed as for lice. If the pests are not killed or 
driven off, and you are willing to stain the plumage of white birds, grind 
together two ounces of sulphur, two ounces of camphor soda, a half-ounce 
of carbolic acid or tobacco leaf, and a piece of lime as large as a hen's 
egg; steep in hot water until thoroughly mixed; let the whole stand 
until perfectly settled, and then pour it off so as to get out all of the 
sediment. When it is cold, thoroughly apply it through the feathers 
with a stiff brush. The ointment of sulphur, lard and kerosene oil, 
recommended for lice, may be well rubbed under the wings, on the 
back of the neck, and on the vent. It is a reliable remedy, but the 
cautions about its use on young fowls must be observed, or fatal effects 
will ensue. 

CHILLS.— FROST-BITE. 

Young fowls are sometimes benumbed by cold, and even apparently 
dead. They should be dipped in water as warm as the hand can comfort- 



404 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

ably bear until they revive, and then be kept in a warm place until com- 
pletely restored. 

The comb, wattles and feet are especially exposed to the frost and 
may be deformed or destroyed thereby. In the less severe cases, the 
crown of the comb and edges of the wattles first become purplish and then 
pale and bloodless. Prevention is the best treatment and an excellent 
means to this end is the oiling of the exposed parts in the beginning of 
and during "cold snaps." At such times the thoughtful fancier will fre- 
quently examine his fowls to detect any existing or threatened cases. If 
possible, treat before the parts have thawed any. Rub on snow, very cold 
water, or pounded ice until the parts have become pliable; then bathe with 
camphorated spirits, or with "hot drops." If the thawing has taken place 
by changes in the weather, it may be beneficial to apply sweet oil, glycer- 
ine or carbolate of cosmoline until all soreness subsides. 

DEFORMITIES. 

Bone-Wen, or Splint. — This is an enlargement or excrescence 
about the bones of the joints. It is incurable. 

Crooked Breast-Bone. — This results from using perches that are 
too narrow or convex, and should be treated by removing the cause. 

Wry-Tail. — If this does not result from a deformed spine, it may be 
improved by cutting the tendon which draws the tail aside; or by cutting 
out a bit of the flesh on the side opposite to that toward which the tail 
points, the healing of the cut forming a scar which will tend to draw the 
tail back to its normal position. 

Squirrel-Tail. — By this is meant a tail whicn turns up over the 
back like that of a squirrel. It is best treated by cutting the tendon which 
holds the tail in that position. 

Web-Foot. — Web-foot in young land-fowls may be cured by cutting 
the web between the toes with scissors. The cut will heal spontaneously. 

ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES. 

Poisons. — Too much caution cannot be taken when using rat's-bane, 
strong carbolic acid, Paris green and other poisons. They should be sedu- 
lously kept out of the reach of poultry. When it is known or suspected 
that poison has been taken, pour warm water down the throat and then 
hold the fowl up by the feet until it runs out. Repeat this several times. 

When a fowl meets with an accident which seriously disables it, the best 
treatment is to kill it, unless a special value attaches to it which will war- 



POULTRY AND LARGE BIRDS. J or, 

rant the pains of prolonging the life of an animal which, at host, will orob- 
ably be maimed. A few injuries which may be subjected to treatment in 
specially valuable birds are here mentioned. 

Cuts and Other "YVounds. — Clean out all dirt and other foreign 
substances. Draw the lips of the wound nicely together and secure them 
with strips of adhesive plaster (which will generally make it necessary to 
shave off some feathers), laying them across the wound and leaving soaces 
between them for the escape of any pus that may form. Dress with a 
lotion of calendula. To keep out maggots and ward off gangrene, put on 
some preparation of carbolic acid. Should the wound be much inflamed 
and slow in healing, apply the calendula-lotion. Sweet oil rubbed on any 
wound will exclude dirt and thus favor the healing. If the wound gapes 
badly, it may be sewed up. If the bleeding is profuse and does not stop 
after the lips are brought together, apply cold water or pounded ice. 

Cracked Hock. — The skin on the inside of the hock-joint may crack 
and seriously impair the use ©f the limb. The cracking is preceded by a 
weakness and wavering about the hock, perhaps even by squatting as in 
leg-weakness or rheumatism. Apply fir-balsam ointment to effect a cure. 
As a preventive, when the weakness about the hock is noticed, bathe the 
joints three times a day with a liniment made of sweet oil and ammonia, 
equal parts, and give two pills daily of lard, three parts, and cayenne 
pepper, one part. 

Bruises are best treated by applying calendula-lotion or arnica, 
though the efficacy of the latter is ridiculously exaggerated. 

Lameness. — When this is not a symptom of paralysis, gout, rheuma- 
tism or broken bone, it may result from a sprain, and is then best treated 
loy pouring cold water on the affected joint and putting on some liniment. 
Broken and Dislocated Bones. — These disorders may exist without 
the knowledge of an observer, unless he is well versed in the anatomy of 
fowls. Though fractures will occasionally heal fairly well without treat- 
ment, fanciers will sometimes wish to try their hands at surgery in order 
to reduce the chances of deformities. Bring the broken ends together 
until they fit neatly, as indicated by the touch. Cover the part with thick 
paper previously well soaked in white of egg or mucilage, closely adapting 
it to the shape of the limb; then bind on strips of pasteboard, also care- 
fully adjusted to the shape. Keep the fowl by itself, as quiet as possible, 
and deprived of the use of the limb if practicable. The resulting fever 
may be treated by showering the limb with cold water. When a wing is 
broken, bring the ends of the bone together as well as you can, close the 
-wing, tie the quills together, secure the wing to the side, if possible, and 
prevent attempts to fly. 



406 



THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 



Dislocations may be reduced by drawing the affected limb, gently and 
firmly, and turning it around in any direction which a knowledge of the 
joint suggests as suited to the return of the bones to their positions. 

DISORDERS PECULIAR TO FEMALE FOWLS. 

S'ome knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of the organs con- 
nected with the formation and laying of the egg is requisite to an 
understanding of the disorders peculiar to female fowls. Of the accom- 
panying cuts the first represents, the ovai'y, resembling a cluster of fruits,, 
in which the egg, first appearing as a very small 
yolk, is fertilized and remains a few days. It 
then passes into and through a canal, called the 





The Ovary. 



The Oviduct. 



A partially formed eg-g- (see 214) is dropping- from tne ovary into the upper end of the oviduct, and a 
mature one, ready to be laid, is near the lower end, close to the branch of the gut. 



oviduct, shown in the second cut, in which it receives the successive layers of 
the white. It finally lodges in an enlargement called the uterus, in which 
it remains until it is ready to be expelled, or "laid." 

Egg-Bound. — Sometimes the egg in the uterus (represented by the 
enlargement toward the bottom of cut 214, near the lower end of the gut) 
becomes too large to be expelled, and the fowl remains on the nest in vaia 



POULTRY AND LARGE BIRDS. K)7 

brts to expel it, or comes ofF and walks about in a distressed mood, with 
e wings hanging. Cochins are especially subject to this difficulty, 
elief may be afforded by giving a light dose of castor oil, but it is better 
o wash out the vent with water and inject into the uterus (not the gut) 
an ounce of sweet oil. If an oiled feather be passed up the canal, the 
same effect as that of an injection will be secured. The use of an in- 
strument to puncture or break the egg is dangerous, and should not be 
resorted to except as a last expedient. If this disorder is neglected, eggs 
may accumulate in the duct and form a large tumor. 

Eggs Broken in the Body. — Eggs may be broken in the body by 
mechanical injuries or by straining in laving them. This is usually fatal. 
Uneasiness and bagging-down behind are the distinctive symptoms. The 
treatment is an injection of a teaspoonful of castor or sweet oil. 

Soft Eggs. — Eggs without hard shells, or with such as are imper- 
fectly formed, may be laid occasionally or repeatedly. The causes are 
inflammation of the oviduct (see below), over-feeding, eating ergot, lack of 
shell-making food, and worry, as by driving fowls about. As treat- 
ment, remove the causes, give lime-water (see page S75), and put within 
reach of the fowl old mortar or powdered oyster shells. 

Inflammation of the Oviduct. — This results from taking cold, 
unwholesome or too stimulating food, and excessive attentions of the male. 
The sy mptions are general fever; feathers on the back and rump puffed 
out; continued straining, as if to lay an egg; eggs imperfectly formed, per- 
haps soft-shelled, or even simple yolks. In the way of treatment, keep 
the fowl away from the cock a long time. Give a grain of calomel and 
one-tenth of a grain of tartar emetic in meal, repeating the dose the next 
day if relief is not afforded. Give mild, easily digested food. 

Protrusion of the Oviduct. — Hernia. — Straining to lay eggs or 
general debility of the system may cause the end of the oviduct to protrude 
from the vent. It may result in " breaking-down behind." Bathe the pro- 
truding part in blood-warm water, oil it, and gently push it back to its 
place with the finger, repeating the operation as often as necessary. Give 
such unstimulating articles of diet as boiled rice and potatoes, avoiding those 
which are known to tend to the production of eggs. Give aconite and 
mercurius internally; or give once a day tartar emetic and calomel as rec- 
ommended above for inflammation of the oviduct. 

Break-Down Behind. — Beside protrusion of the oviduct and broken 
eggs in the bodv, this disorder may be caused by an undue accumulation of 
fat in the hind parts. A cure may eventually be effected by a low diet 
when the last is the cause, but the fowl is unfit for breeding purposes. 
Cannabis may be of service. 



408 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

Sweat Malady. — If one is so careless as to allow his fowls to hatch 
in damp, musty coops, he may find them moist, clammy and black under 
the wings. The treatment consists in giving wholesome quarters, washing 
the parts and powdering them with flour. 

Sitting Fever. — When a fowl persists in sitting, do not resort to the 
foolish and useless expedients of ducking in cold water, tying rags to the 
tail, and the like. Let the fever " run its course," with or without eggs as 
you prefer. 

Feather-Eating. — This vice is almost wholly confined to hens, 
and is more common in the French breeds and Malays. Loomis' Poultry 
Bit is a sure cure. In connection with it, give fresh meat and bone crushed 
into small pieces, and indeed this diet alone will cure many cases. 

Egg-Eating. — If a fowl eats her eggs, she will probably teach the 
vice to others in the flock. To effect a cure, keep the nest in a dark place. 
Give fowls that are kept shut up plenty to do by forcing them to " scratch 
for a living," which may be done by putting all their grain under a pile of 
straw, leaves, or other material. The same measures are used as a preventive. 
Occasionally the hen eats the eggs to get the shells, in consequence of the 
absence of lime; at such times, keep old plaster, pounded oyster shells and 
lime-water (see page S75) within her reach. If the vice is persisted in, 
benefit may arise from giving the hen a wide run, but the use of the hatchet 
on the neck is a sure cure, and prevents the fowl from setting a bad example. 





:f^:r,t "Viii. 



CAGE BIRDS AND THEIR DISEASES. 




in: i 




THE FAMILY CHOIR. 
410 



PART VIII. 



CAGE BIRDS AND THEIR DISEASES. 




INTRODUCTION. 



HE cares and conflicting passions of life are most 
agreeably relieved by the varied tints of the flowers 
which clothe field and garden, and by the birds 
which flit among them, to please with their ex- 
quisite symmetry, delight with their rich and gor- 
geous plumage, and charm with their entrancing 
song. These " beautiful and well-created things '* 
| stimulate and purify the love of beauty which is such an essential element 
| of every normal mind and soul, and a genuine delight must ever be felt in 
a study of their form, plumage, song and habits. In my native land socie- 
ties are formed expressly for such study, it being my esteemed privilege to 
jhave a membership in the one at our capital, and to continue its correspond- 
ent in the fair country of my adoption. In such favorable circumstances 
; many things have been learned which could not otherwise have come with- 
in my knowledge. While the life of birds in their natural freedom has 
been a special theme of investigation, we have been led to give studious 
attention to their needs and care when in captivity, for, in spite of the ten- 
derest care, influences which are inseparable from a life of confinement will 
always induce some diseases not known among birds in their native fields 
and forests. As a result" of such observation these disorders are treated di- 
rectly from experience in Germany, usually without the necessity of books j 

411 



412 the; veterinary doctor. 

but in America the little sufferers are too often left to linger and die in the 
absence of that experience, and of reliable books devoted to the subject. If 
I shall have tbe good fortune to allay the pain of those which are in and 
about the homes of my readers, it will abundantly repay me for my years 
of study in their behalf. What is offered in the present work is based upon 
the experience of many others as well as of myself, though a special study 
of American birds has been made since my arrival in this country, supple- 
mented by an extended practice in treating those which have been brought 
to the hospital. It has been a source of much pleasure to thus give to the 
public such aid as I confidently believe will be the means of avoiding many 
■of the sufferings to which our hlepless little pets have been subjected, and 
my thanks are due to the editor for his valued assistance in reducing my 
language to the wants of the English reader. 

A few remarks are first in order upon the care and health of domesti- 
cated birds as a class, for nothing is so important in the treatment of a dis- 
ease as its prevention. Many ills can be avoided by a proper attention to 
the cage and other apartments, the food, drink, and general management. 

THE CAGE AND AVIARY. 

Size. — In this particular, as well as in others, it is best to keep a captive 
bird in a condition as nearly like its natural surroundings as practicable. If 
•one can afford a spacious aviary, with suitable apartments, perches and other 
appointments, she may expect a more healthy condition and better results in 
plumage and song. But the majority are compelled to keep their birds in 
close confinement, or have none at all, and for such the first rule is that the 
cage shall be commodious enough to at least insure ease of movement. 

Cleanliness. — The temperature of the body of birds is much higher 
than that of man, and their respiration is proportionately more active. 
Because of these two facts the exhalations from the skin and lungs are 
thrown off with great rapidity and demand special pains to insure the 
requisite cleanliness. Again, by the flitting and hopping of the captive 
in small apartments the water and food are scattered about, and becoming 
mingled with the droppings, which have a marked tendency to ferment, 
they soon produce a foul condition which is highly prejudicial to health. 
It is, therefore, imperative that the cage be cleaned at least once a week in 
all seasons, and still oftener in warm weather. To be sure, the desired 
neatness can be secured only by doing this daily. Indeed, the safe 
rule, from a standpoint of health, is to attend to the cage or aviary at 
once if it gives out an odor that indicates an unwholesome habitation. In 
doing this the apartment should not be left in a drenched or very damp 



CAGE BIRDS AND THEIR DISEASES. 



113 



condition. The perches should receive special attention, and even the sand 
in the bottom of aviaries should be frequently removed and be replaced 
with a fresh supply. 

Uncleanliness is a prolific source of disorders in the feet, and these 
members should receive close attention. They will often become encrusted 




Nest of the Oriole. 



with the droppings and other matters and thus be irritated and sore- 
Hairs, fine feathers and tough straws become entwined about the toes, soon 
cut deep into them, and perhaps cause their total loss. In cleaning feet 
that have become thus involved, dip them into tepid water until the dirt is 



414 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

•softened and comes off, so that the skin may not be torn away and thus 
induce painful and persistent ulcers. 

Too much care can not be taken to keep out lice and mites, for they 
are very injurious to the health of birds. They suck the blood, rob them 
•of sleep at nights, always rapidly reduce the strength, and sometimes cause 
death. They gather in great numbers on the perches, in all cracks, and in 
•other parts of the cage or aviary. Studious cleanliness is the best pre- 
ventive. Measures for eradication, when they have once appeared, are 
named further on, under the special treatment for lice and mites. 

Light and Ventilation. — Light and air are two of nature's most 
potent agencies in counteracting filth. Every bird should have a liberal 
allowance of sunlight, though the power and directness of the rays are to 
"be determined by the climate which is natural to the captive. Among 
those that need frequent sun-baths the canary deserves special mention, 
though it should never be subjected to extreme heat or a dazzling glare. 
For the development of the song, canaries are best kept in a very dark 
■cage, made expressly for the purpose, except during the period of moulting 
and breeding; but this does not apply to the question of light for birds in 
general. If possible, every cage and other inclosure should be occasionally 
subjected to the full glare of the sun, the birds being meanwhile removed 
if their natural condition indicates that such exposure would be harmful. 
Both in airing and in ordinary ventilation it is imperatively essential that 
one avoid all direct draughts of cold or damp air on the birds, for they 
will take cold as well as a human being. The last remark is not suffi- 
ciently heeded by the ordinary fancier, and she consequently has sickly or 
dead birds. A good rule is to keep the temperature at from 65 ° to 70 
Fahrenheit, with an absence of draughts. 

The Bath and Drink. — A bath should be afforded daily in some 
suitable dish or font, but on cold days and in the winter the water should 
be milk-warm, and the bath may be omitted entirely in extreme cold 
weather. The best drink, since it is that which is provided for all birds in 
their native state, is cool, fresh water in summer, milk-warm in winter. 
Special pains is requisite in supplying it, because it will become stagnant 
bv standing and is liable to be impregnated with all impurities that 
•come from the body or surrounding atmosphere. Even fresh rain-water 
may be injuriously impure Iry standing in the open air twenty-four hours. 
It is, therefore, necessary that a supply be given at least once a day. If 
there is any doubt in respect to absolute purity, it is best to boil the water 
and give it after it has become cool. 

Food. — The food, drink and air furnish the materials by which the 
repair and growth of the system are effected, and upon their selection must 



CAGE BIRDS AND Til Kill DISK ASKS 



115 



■depend the health of the body. Two peculiarities in the anatomy and 
physiology of birds need special mention here, as hearing directly upon the 
topic now before us. First, the lungs are very small, but the bones are pro- 
vided with various air-cells which may be filled or emptied at will to regu- 
late the buoyancy needed for flying. If the food is of such a nature as to 
interfere with this function, it is evident that the general health will be 
disturbed and the facility of flight be impaired. Second, the digestive or- 
-gans exhibit differences according to the various kinds of food which the 
Creator designed for them. In song-birds, for example, there are three 
successive cartilaginous stomachs, covered with strong muscles. Indeed, 











:< *&r a ^l| * 



217. Canaries And Nest. 

organs of this kind are given to all birds which live on grains, seeds and 
■ other hard food, and the requisite grinding is effected by small stones taken 

into the gizzard. This also emphasizes the necessity of giving to every 

bird the kind of food which it would get in a state of nature. 

It is manifest that the onlv rational principle for adoption in feeding is 
1 to accord to a bird a diet as nearly identical as possible with what nature 
J has especially provided for it. Since this natural method cannot be used 

for birds in confinement in all its details, one must meet the lack of nature's 



416 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

food, as far as he can, by close observation of the effects of different arti- 
cles that are at hand. To this difficult question the members of our bird 
societies patiently address themselves. It is evident that, to give any trust- 
worthy directions upon feeding, one must divide his subject according to 
the species. Nothing is the cause of more sickness and death among birds 
than giving them any and every article of food simply because they seem to 
relish it, or at least take it readily. 

Gravel, Cuttle-Bone and Salt. — Every cage should be supplied with 
small gravel, and the best kind is that which may be scraped up along the 
lakes and rivers. Fine sand is not a good substitute. Without such a pro- 
vision the digestion is disturbed or entirely interrupted. Again, cuttle-bone 
and crystal salt should be kept within reach, since they afford needed ma- 
terial for the making of Mood and bone. A bird may live even years with- 
out them, but it should have the opportunity of getting them as the system 
demands. This remark is not intended to lead to a disregard of the caution 
which fanciers emphasize about putting salt into the food of certain species. 

Macena Biscuit. — As a substitute for the egg-foods which are so ex- 
tensively used, the writer has an article of his own discovery which he 
calls the Macena Biscuit, and which, for canaries, mocking-birds, thrushes, 
parrots and other species, he has found to be much superior. It is men- 
tioned here as an additional food, and not as a necessary part of the follow- 
ing points on feeding and treating. It insures rhythm and flexibility of 
the voice, is the most digestible for both the old and young, and is thus 
suited to all cases of debility in particular. It is an admirable remedy and 
preventive for inflammation of the bowels, and also saves much time and 
trouble in the breeding season. The birds always have a keen relish for it, 
showing a marked preference to it over egg-food, and feed it to the young 
with greater readiness. It is good for old birds in all seasons, is peculiarly 
suitable at breeding times, and the writer has found nothing equal to it for 
the young of all kinds, canaries in particular, up to the age of four or five 
months, as well as in moulting. It will remain in a fit state for food eight 
to ten days in summer and ten to twelve days in winter. When it does be- 
come old, it is readily prepared for use by dipping it in water for three min- 
utes and then squeezing it out. None of the foods for mocking-birds 
which are sold in the market are made after the formula of this biscuit, and. 
none keep the song and health in as good condition or favor so long life. 

SPECIAL FOODS FOR DIFFERENT SPECIES. 

Canaries. — The canary should not be fed on hemp seed under any 
circumstances. Even when these seeds are mixed with the canary, as they 



CAGE BIRDS AND THEIR DISEASES. 



417 



often are in the market, they are to he avoided, since they -will shorten the 
bird's life. Up to the age of four months, rape and canary seed are the 
best, with three-fourths of a teaspoonful a day, to each bird, of egg-food, or. 
still better, Maccna Biscuit. After that age they should have only rape 
and canary seed, with a small quantity of green food every day, if it can 
be secured. The German rape seed is the best, and if it can be procured, 
will be all that is needed in the way of seed. Canaries are very often in- 
jured or killed by sugar and other delicacies. 

The Moeking-Bird and Thrush Family. — All kinds of soft-food 
eaters must be treated with more care than seed-eaters. In this class 
mocking-birds are the most admired and valued. They need a liberal sup- 




2lS. MOCKING-BlRD. 



ply of meal-worms, ant's eggs, earth-worms, caterpillars (without hairs), 
and sometimes green food, such as berries and fruits. Grated carrots and 
potatoes, meat, and boiled beef-heart are suitable for summer. For use in 
winter, and for those people who can not get the articles just named, I will 
give a recipe upon which a superior mocking-bird food can be prepared, 
which is also excellent for all soft-food, meat and insect eaters: — Chop 
finely four pounds of beef and dry it well in a stove; grate one and one- 



418 



THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 



half pounds of carrots, squeeze them out thoroughly, and dry them; grate 
twelve to fourteen ounces of white bread; grind twelve to fourteen pounds 
of hemp seed; add the yolks of twelve to fifteen hard-boiled eggs. Mix 
all of them thoroughly, adding sweet oil or lard until the mixture is soft, 
but do not fizit in a greater stiffly of oil or lard, lest fat be engendered too 
rapidly. If they can be afforded, dried ant's eggs, in any quantity up to a 
fourth part of the whole, will make the mixture better. If farina be added 
to this mixture, in the proportion of one-fourth of the whole, good results 
will follow, though it is not a necessary ingredient. The preparation of 
this food will make some trouble, but it will well reward the pains in the 
charms which it adds to the mocking-bird alone, to say nothing of other 
species for which it is suitable. When once ready for use it can be fed 
with much less labor than fresh food, is not conducive to disease, as other 
kinds are, and will remain good for many months. A less amount than 
the above can be made, of course, but the same proportion of ingredients 
should be preserved. 

Red Bird, Cardinal and their Kind. — Make a mixture of rice (in the 
husk"), hemp seed, sunflower seed, and wheat in the grain. Also, give corn, 
some fruit, meal-worms, and mocking-bird food made as above directed. 




219. GOLDFIXCH AND NEST. 



Nightingale, Robin, Etc. — For nightingales, robins, some African 
finches and titmice, make a mixture as follows: — Bake a loaf of white bread 
very hard and grind or pound it fine; add the same quantity of grated 
carrots; a like amount of hard-boiled beef heart, ground, chopped, or, better 
still, grated; a smaller allowance of hemp seed. Thoroughly mix them, 



CAGE BIRDS AND THEIR DISEASES. 41 U 

ite - 

meanwhile adding water until the whole is loose and has a j^leasant odor. 

It is very desirable to mix ant's eggs in this when feeding it. 

Lark, Starling, Etc.— To larks, starlings, and the yellow-hammer 
species, give wheat, oats, canary seed, green food, some earth-worms, meal- 
worms and ant's eggs. Finely-chopped cabbage, mixed with poppy seed, is 
especially needed by all of the lark species; and the diet given just above for 
nightingales and robins is, generally speaking, also good. 

The Bullfinch and Linnet Families. — For bullfinches, linnets, chaf- 
finches, goldfinches, siskins, and all of the finch species, make a mixture of 
three parts of German rape seed, and one each of hemp seed, poppy seed 
and German millet. Hemp and poppy seed should be given with care, for 
they produce fat too readily when supplied in excess. Beside the above, 
give green food and fruits. 

Fancy and African Finches.- — The chief food of these is white (not 
yellow) millet and canary seed; other articles being rape, flax and poppy 
seed, and a little green food. 

Fancy Chickens. — For these, make a mixed food of fruit, crumbs of 
' bread, rice (boiled dry), yolks and shells of eggs, meats and other articles 
from the table, and ant's eggs. Now and then give strawberries, black- 
berries, huckleberries, grapes and plums. 

Parrots. — Large parrots with strong beaks should have corn, oats, 
hemp seed, sunflower seed, millet, boiled rice, milk, bread, ant's eggs, pota- 
toes, nuts, grapes, fruits, and small seeds in general. Salt in bits or crystals 
should be constantly within reach. Bitter almonds and parsley are poison- 
ous for these birds. It may be said, apart from the question of food, that 
care should be taken to particularly avoid draughts of air and direct rays of 
the sun. The bird should have a daily bath, or the whole body be sprinkled 
with water. A piece of wood for the parrot to bite is requisite to the proper 
growth of the beak, and should always be kept in the cage. 

DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. 

From foregoing observations it will be inferred that the most common 
causes of sickness in cage birds are unnatural, improper and excessive food 
.and drink, exposure to draughts and extremes of temperature, filth, and 
vermin. It follows that an avoidance of such influences will prevent the 
occurrence of many ills. In general, when a bird shows any evidence of 
sickness, the appropriate diet, as detailed above, should be rigidly observed. 
In the reader's endeavor to discover what disease is affecting a bird, too 
much care can not be used to avoid an error which is entirely too common, 
namely, the forming of a conclusion upon an insufficient study of the patient's 



420 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

symptoms. The inexperienced fancier is prone to suspect the existence of 
a disease, and then quickly decide that it is present in a given case, because 
he finds one or two symptoms which are known to attend it, though a fur- 
ther investigation might detect others which would show that another and 
perhaps quite different complaint was at hand. 

HOARSENESS.— COLD.— CATARRH.— "ASTHMA." 

Hoarseness, or cold in the head, quite frequently manifests itself in 
song birds, and only less so in talking birds. It arises from draughts, 
too cold drink and baths, bad seed, and excessive singing or talking. When 
the first two are the cause, keep the bird in a warm, very moist atmosphere,, 
both day and night, deprive it of the bath, give warmer water for the drink, 
and feed lettuce seed. If bad or spoiled seed be the source of the trouble, 
change to those which are good. If too much singing or talking is the 
cause, put the bird in a dark room to shut out all light, and thus stop the use 
of the voice entirely for some time; but the bird must be kept warm. 

Catarrh is often caused by draughts of air and too cold baths. The 
head becomes hot, the nostrils clogged, and the breathing obstructed. If a 
soft feather be dipped into warm salt-water and gently passed up the nostril, 
the bird being kept warm for some time, it will be a sufficient treatment. 
Parrots and other birds that will bite should be covered with some fabric be- 
fore treatment, to protect the operator and prevent resistance from the claws. 

Asthma is a term that is often improperly applied to cases of cold and 
catarrh. Birds do not have anything that can in any true sense be called 
asthma. The chest is sometimes by nature too narrow, and thus gives rise 
to a condition of the voice which some call asthma, but that is incurable. 

CONSUMPTION OF THE THROAT AND CHEST. 

The special symptoms of consumption of the throat are a frequent 
cough, roughness of the voice, often a failure to take food, either from loss 
of appetite or from pain in swallowing, attacks of fever followed by shiver- 
ing being more or less regular. As treatment, keep the bird in a very 
warm atmosphere, give a little piece of pork and a tea of speedwell (weak 
for small singing birds; strong for parrots, the thrush family, and large 
birds in general). This will usually effect a cure in four or five days. 
If the disease is allowed to run four or five months it will be incurable ; 
hence the importance of early attention and prompt treatment. 

The distinctive feature of consumption of the chest or lungs is a 
tubercular deposit in the chest, liver and bowels. The first symptoms are 



CAGE BIRDS AM) TIIKIK DM.ASI.s. 



l-.'l 



| a "thinning" of the voice and occasional sneezing. When the sneezing 

. comes on in the morning and continues dining the day, the lungs have 

become involved, and eventually a puffed appearance will he manifest in 

) the chest, as represented in the accompanying cut. The treatment consists 




220. Canary with Consumption of the Chest. 



in keeping the atmosphere very moist, and at a temperature of from 66° 
to ■j 2 ° Fahrenheit (for which purpose a stove with fire can he placed in the 
room with a vessel of water on it). When the coughing or sneezing be- 
comes continuous, the disease has progressed too far for treatment. A con- 
sumptive bird should never be used for breeding purposes. 



WORMS IN THE WINDPIPE. 



Many birds are killed by worms in the windpipe when their owners 
are at a complete loss as to the cause. A very destructive parasite finds its 
way to the throat, locates under the glottis and lives on the blood that it 
extracts. The wound which it makes begins to swell, ami the bird is thus 
deprived of breath. Parrots, fancy chickens and singing birds are especially 
liable to such attacks. At first the bird shows signs of general impairment 
of health; a cough sets in and grows worse; the bird throws its head 
from side to side as if trying to expel something from the throat; finally 



422 the; veterinary doctor. 

death ensues from suffocation if relief is not given. A bird affected in this 
way should be completely separated from others, for the parasite is readily 
transmitted to the well. The killing of the worm is the only cure, and 
recovery rapidly comes on when this is accomplished. The best method 
of treatment is to put the bird into dense tobacco smoke, and give meal- 
worms that have been dipped in sweet oil. Care is requisite to avoid suffo- 
cation by the smoke, particularly if it is applied long at a time. 

VERTIGO OR DIZZINESS.— EPILEPSY. 

Vertigo or dizziness must not be mistaken for epilepsy which is con- 
sidered just below. The former attacks large birds which are kept in 
round and incommodious cages. The bird will turn its head around at 
times and so continue until it falls from the perch and lies as if dead. Pro- 
vide a larger and square cage. If this does not effect a cure, probably 
nothing will. Covering the top of the cage with a cloth may afford tem- 
porary relief, for it keeps the bird from looking up, which is commonly 
supposed to be the cause of the disorder; but it will not alone eradicate the 
malady, which is an affection of the nervous system that is primarily due 
to the kind of cage mentioned. 

Epilepsy is produced in nervous and fat birds by violent shocks, as 
from a fright or loud noise, which causes them to fall in a sudden fit.. 
Pour cold water on the head until the bird revives; then let it fly for 
some time in a room. Provide more commodious cages for fat, large birds 
when they have recovered, give less food than before, and guard against 
shocks of all kinds, as slamming of doors ; explosions, and the like. 

LIVER-SPOTS. 

This term is applied to an inflammation of the liver the chief external 
symptom of which is violet spots under the breast. The bird eats but 
little, owing to pressure on the stomach. It is a good rule to give the sick 
bird the food it relishes, except such as tends to produce fat. Seed-eaters 
should have less rape and no hemp. Mix flax and poppy seed in the food. 
Thrushes and their species require poppy seed. To parrots give no hemp 
or meat; half-boiled corn is good for them. 

INFLAMMATION OF THE BOWELS. 

This is a frequent complaint in warm weather, and is caused by an un- 
due supply of heating or stimulating food, fruits, lettuce and other green 



CAGE BIRDS AND THEIR DISEASES. (23 

feed in excess, and sour, soft food. The disease is very rapid in its course. 
During the first two days the droppings are green, and afterward become 
mixed with blood, death soon taking place if relief is not afforded. The 
bird is very thirsty during the attack. Parrots, canaries, and mocking- 
birds are particularly subject to the disorder. The patient should be kept 
warm, and oatmeal-tea (but no water) be given as a drink. From the 
diet exclude fruits, egg-food, lettuce and other green feed, giving only seed 
or grain, according to the natural demand of the bird. Meat-eaters must 
have an abundance of meal-worms and ant's eggs, but no sour or spoiled 
food. Studiously avoid such of the mocking-bird foods in the market as 
can become sour. That made upon the formula given on a previous page 
will not sour, if carefully prepared, and is a good food in this complaint 
for such birds as those for which it is there recommended. 

RUPTURE. 

Young birds are more often than the old affected with a disorder 
called rupture, which is characterized by a lean, transparent, puffed-up ap- 
pearance of flesh, with small, red veins, and a falling of the intestines into 
the lower part of the belly, where the skin becomes black before or after 
death. Though the malady is generally fatal, because not treated soon 
enough, relief may be afforded by giving a light and simple diet, since too 
heating and stimulating food is the most common cause, egg-food being 
quite often the origin of the trouble. This is generally, if not always, a 
manifestation of inflammation of the bowels and demands substantially the 
same treatment. Attend to it as soon as it manifests itself. 

COSTIVENESS, DIARRHCEA AND DYSENTERY. 

Costiveness. — When the action of the bowels is stopped or difficult, 
mild cases may be cured by giving green food freely, and substituting the 
juice of yellow carrots for the drink. The bath should be taken away. In 
obstinate cases, give one to two drops of castor oil, either directly into the 
throat from a quill or pen, or in the food. It is well, sometimes necessary, 
to dip a fine, soft brush or feather into oil and very carefully push it into 
the bowel through the vent. 

Diarrhoea and Dysentery. — These can generally be cured by 
feeding poppy seed, which should be half-boiled for parrots and thrushes. 
In the worst cases, particularly if blood is mixed in the droppings, give one 
or two drops of tincture of opium in the drink. Colds and an unwise selec- 
tion of food are the chief causes. 



424 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 

OBSTRUCTION OF THE RUMP-GLAND. 

The rump-gland secretes the oil for the anointing of the feathers. It 
may be doubted whether it ever suffers any disorder other than the itching 
which results from its obstruction in constipation, and which causes the 
bird to peck and rub it with the beak more than it does when merely oil- 
ing its feathers. If cases of obstruction occur, soften the gland well with 
tepid water and squeeze it out, but do it very gently, since carelessness or 
rudeness may kill the bird, and will certainly irritate the gland. 

SORES ON THE FEET AND EYES. 

If ulcers appear on the feet from dirt sticking to them, thoroughly 
soften the feet with tepid water until the dirt comes off. Then put twelve 
to fifteen drops of strong tincture of arnica into a glass of water and apply 
some of it two or three times a day with a feather. Stronger dilutions of 
arnica may be used on larger birds. Clean cages and proper food are efficient 
preventives. 

The eyes may become sore from filth in the cage, and need the same 
treatment as is given for sores on the feet. The juice of red beets is 
recommended, both as a drink and as an external application. 

LOSS AND EXCESS OF FLESH. 

The use of unnatural food deranges the digestion and causes the bird 
to disgorge its food, ruffle its feathers, and rapidly lose flesh. Restore the 
required' food and tone up the system by putting a rusty nail in the drink- 
ing-water for a few days. 

A bird may become fat if it has too much or too stimulating food. The 
treatment consists in resorting to a simpler diet, including small quanti- 
ties of ant's eggs, and avoiding the fat-producing articles. A mistaken 
fondness too often prompts one to pamper birds until they grow fat and 
dull, and thus indisposed to song and vivacity. 

PAIRING FEVER. ' 

By this is meant a condition in the spring, when the inclination to pair 
is the most marked, in which a bird ceases to sing, is drooping in spirits, 
grows thin, ruffles its feathers, and possibly dies. Remove the female from 
sight and put the male in a cooler place. The normal spirits and health 
will soon return, and no additional care will be needed. 



CAGE BIRDS AND THEIR DISK ASKS. |J." 

FLEDGING AND MOULTING. 

Though the growth of the first coat of feathers and the periodic 
change thereafter are natural functions, they produce a debility which len- 
ders a bird peculiarly susceptible to disease. These changes make a special 
demand on the digestive organs, and an increased allowance of food should 
be afforded, though without any delicacies. A rusty nail in the drinking- 
water will be a useful tonic. Meat-eaters need more worms and ant's eggs 
than usual. The Macena Biscuit is superior as food dining these periods 
for those birds for which it has heen recommended above. Keep the bird 
in a rather warmer atmosphere than usual as a precaution against colds, 
and insure rest and quiet, being especially careful not to excite the bird. 

LICE.— MITES.— PARASITES. 

When a bird is restless, particularly at night, and repeatedly puts its 
beak under its wings and on other parts, the presence of lice or mites 
should be suspected, and a minute search be made at once. If they are 
found, blow pure Persian Insect Powder thoroughly into the feathers, in 
small quantities, and into all corners and cracks of the cage. Clean the 
] cage very carefully and anoint all parts of it with kerosene oil, before using 
! the powder. It is best to furnish a new cage after the eradication, until 
, the infested one is surely free from all traces of the pests. Absolute clean- 
liness is, of course, One of the surest preventives. Both before and after 
I the appearance of lice or other vermin, a supply of sand for dusting and 
' abundant opportunities for bathing are very beneficial. When a cage is in- 
fested with red mites, temporary relief can be afforded the bird by spread- 
ing a white cloth over the cage at night and removing it after a while. If 
mites are present, they will collect on the cloth and will be seen as minute 
red spots. Of course they should be destroyed when removed in this way. 
This is, indeed, a good expedient to discover their presence. 

DEFORMED CLAWS AND BEAKS.— INJURIES. 

If the perches are so small that the bird can reach more than three- 
fourths of the way around them, the whetting on the points of the claws 
required by nature is not afforded, and they become too long and deformed. 
The best treatment is to remove the cause by providing thicker perches. 
If the claws are so long as to present a deformity, hold them up between 
vour eyes and a light, so that you can see the ends of the blood-vessels; 
then clip them off near those ends, using scissors, not a knife. If bleeding 



426 



THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 



should follow, rub on a few drops of arnica. This kind of deformity 
should not be neglected, for the bird is in danger of hanging itself by the 
feet and thus dying. 

The beak may be overgrown in consequence of the bird's inability to 
whet it. It is treated by cutting it off, with the same instrument and with 
the same caution in avoiding the blood-vessels as are named in clipping the 
claws. It is best to have an experienced person perform these operations. 

When a bird suffers from a wound, fracture of a bone, frost-bites, or 
other injury, the precision required in treatment is such that no suitable di- 
rections can here be given. It is a great mistake to kill a pet bird because 
it has a broken bone, for it can be successfully treated at one of the bird 
hospitals which are found in some of the larger cities; but no time should 
be lost in sending it to such a place, if it is to be sent at alt. If any parts 
have been nipped by the frost, put on a few applications of a weak dilution 
of arnica, followed by an anointing with oil. 




FORMULAS FOR LOTIONS, LINIMENTS, OINTMENTS, 
CERATES, ETC. 



' /ftflft 



Aconite Lotion. — Prescribed in various 
parts of this book : 

Strong Tinct. Aconite, 1 ounce. 
Water, 4 " Mix. 

Alum Lotion. — For simple inflamma- 
tions of the eye: 
Pure Alum, 1 grain. 

Pure Soft Water, 2 tablespoonfuls. 
Dissolve. Put a few drops in the eye 
twice a day. 

Arnica Lotion. — For bruises and other 
injuries: 
Tinct. Arnica, 1 ounce. 

Water, 4 " Mix. 

Arsenicum Lotion. — 

Arsenicum, 4 grains. 

Water, 4 ounces. Mix. 

Bismuth Lotion. — For scaly eruptions 
and excoriations, and for itching of the 
vulvae : 

Sub-Nitr. Bismuth, 1 drachm. 

Olive Oil, 1 ounce. Mix. 

Bismuth Ointment. — For intense itch- 
ing and irritation, as in eczema and 
other skin-diseases : 

Nitrate of Bismuth, 30 grains. 

Prepared Lard, 1 ounce. Mix. 

Borax Lotion. — For excoriations, and 
itching of the vulvae: 

Pulv'ized Borax, 20 grains. 
Distilled Water, 2 ounces. Dissolve. 

Borax Ointment. — For thrush and 
itching of the vulvae: 
Pulverized Borax, 1 ounce. 
Glycerine, 4 " Dissolve. 



Butternut-Bark Lotion.— For cuts, 
stabs, punctures, etc., in horses. Make 
a strong infusion of butternut bark and 
apply freely. 

Calendula Lotion. — For open sores, 

cuts and lascerations: 
Tinct. Calendula, 1 ounce. 

Water, 3 " Mix. 

Camphorated Borax Lotion. — For 

dandruff, ring-worm, tetter, etc. : 

Pulverized Borax, 1 drachm. 

Spirits Camphor, 1 ounce. 

Glycerine, 

Soap Liniment, 

Water, 



7% 

2 
12 



Mix. 



Carbolic Acid Lotion. — For ulcers> 
inflammation of the mouth and itching 
of the vulvae: 

Pure Carbolic Acid, 10 grains, 
Distilled Water, 6 ounces. 

Dissolve. 

Carbolic Acid Ointment. — For dis- 
eases of the skin in general : 



Carbolic Acid, 
Lard, 



5 grains. 

1 ounce. Mix. 



Chloroform Liniment. — For rheu- 
matic and neuralgic pains in general. 

(a). Chloroform, 1 ounce. 

Ether, 1 " 

Spirits Camphor, 1 " 

Laudanum, 1 " 

Tinct. Cayenne Pep., Y 2 " Mix. 

Chloroform, 1 ounce. 

Olive or Salad Oil, 2 " Mix. 



0>) 



42. 



428 



FORMULAS. 



Condition Powders. — For various 
conditions of the horse: 
Anise, 3 ounces. 

Fenugreek, 3 " 

Rosin, 3 

Ginger-root, 3 " 

Copperas, 3 " 

Antimonv, \% " 

Saltpetre, 3 " 

Licorice, 3 " 

Mix thoroughly; give a tablespoonful 

as the dose. 

Condy's Fluid. — 

Permanganate of Potass, 1 grain. 
Water, 1 ounce. 

Horse Liniment. — For splint, curb, 
spavin, warts, and tendency to bony 
growths, in the horse : 

Lard, 4 ounces. 

Tallow, 1 ounce. 

Mercurial Ointment, 2 " 

Strong Tinct. Iodine, 2 " 

Oil of Cedar, 2 " 

Spirits Turpentine, 2 " 

Bin-iodide Mercury, 3 drachms. 
Melt the lard and mercurial ointment 
over a slow fire and add the fluids and 
bin-iodide mercury when it begins' to 
cool, stirring them all well together. Use 
it with caution and keep the parts well 
oiled after its application. 

Hoof Ointment. — 

Mutton Tallow, 2 parts. 

Resin, 2 " 

Tar, 2 " 

Yellow Wax, 1 " 

Castor Oil, 1 " 

Melt well together and thoroughly 
mix. The ointment should be used after 
the feet are washed and have become 
dry, and is best applied to the horses' 



feet by rubbing in with the hand. 

Iodine Lotion. — For rheumatism and 
swelling of the glands and other parts : 

Tinct. Iodine, 1 ounce. 

Glycerine or Olive Oil, % " Mix. 
Paint the parts with it, using a brush. 

Iodine Ointment. — Use, same as that 
made of iodine lotion: 
Strong Tinct. Iodine, 1 drachm. 
Lard or Vaseline, % ounce. Mix. 

Lard Ointment. — For raw and in- 
flamed sores in general : 

Lard, 1 pound. 

White Wax, 4 ounces. 

Heat and stir together until cool. 

Lime-Water. — Prescribed in various 
parts of this book, and in frequent de- 
mand in the stable. 

Fresh Unslaked Lime, 3 ounces. 

Water (preferably distilled), 1 quart. 

Occasionally shake them until the lime 

is thoroughly slaked; let it settle and use 

the clear liquid. Keep it in a bottle or 

jar, well corked. 

Soap Liniment. — For bruises, sprains, 
pains, rheumatism, etc.: 
Castile Soap, 4 ounces. 

Oil of Rosemary, 5 drachms. 
Camphor, 2 ounces. 

Alcohol, 1% pints. Mix. 

Vinegar Liniment. — For sprains, es- 
pecially in the horse: Dissolve in strong 
vinegar all the salt it will take; apply 
freely, with bandages. 
Zinc Ointment.— For burns, blisters, 
excoriations, inflamed eyelids, and va- 
rious affections of the skin : 
Oxide of Zinc, 1 ounce. 

Lard, 6 " Mix. 






INDEX. 



"When more than one Part of the book is referred to under a given topic, the 
distinctions are made by the following equivalents: II, Horse; S, Sheep; Hg, lloij; 
D, Dog; C, Cat; P, Poultry; 13, Birds; If, "and following pages." 



Abornasum O, 

Abortion H, 143, 269, 

Abscess. . . .H, 203; O, 289; D, 348; P, 

African finches, food for 

After-birth H, 

Air, in health H, 

Albuminuria H, 

Alternation of remedies 

American cattle plague 

American race horse 

American rinderpest 280, 

Anasarca H, 

Anatomy, importance of. . . . H, 41 ; O, 

233; 8, 293; Hg, 309; D, 330; P, 

374; B, 414. 

Aneurism H 

Anthrax. . . .H, 210; O, 242, 245; Hg, 

310, 311 ; P. 373. 
Aphtha H, 

Asth ma . .' .' . .' .' .' . . .' .' .D, 340 ; P, 382; B, 

Atrophy of the heart H, 

Aviany 

Barley -for horses 

Baths H, 226; C,357;B, 

Beaks, deformed 

Beans for horses 

Beds , H, 

Beef, diseased 

Belly Black B, 

Birds, care of, 409-419 ; diseases of, 419- 

Bishoping the teeth H, 

Bites H, 132; O, 

Black mouth S, 

Black quarter O, 276, 278; 8, 

Black rot P, 

Black tongue O, 242, 

Black water O, 266, 

Bladder, inflammation. . . .H, falling, 
137; inflammation, 135; spasm, 
35-136. O, inflammation, 265; 
spasm, 266-267; stone in, 267. Hg, 
inversion, 318; stone in, 318. D, 
inflammation, 345. 



237 
303 

399 
419 
143 
215 
137 
431 
281 
14 
281 
201 



99 



98 

41 
420 

97 
412 
223 
414 
425 
223 
228 
289 
423 
■426 

60 
264 
296 
306 
401 
276 
281 



Blain O, 212-246; S, 

Bleeding, persistent H, 

Blindness H, prevention, 153; P, 

Bloating 8, 

Bloody urine H, 140; O, 

Bloody murrain 276, 278, 

Blowing ...H, 

Blue disease Hg, 

Bog spavin. . , 154, 

Boils P, 

Bone spavin H, 

Bones, H, dislocated, 213 ; fractures of, 
214; O, swollen, 289; fractures, 
289; P, broken and dislocated, 
405 ; B, broken, 426. 

Bots 

Bowels. . .H, inflammation, 68-69; 0, 
inflammation, 246, 252 ; 8, inflam- 
mation, 306; D, inflammation, 
385; worms in, 337; B, inflamma- 
tion, 422. 
Brain . . . H, concussion, 52; inflamma- 
tion, 46; fever, 46; O, fever, 233- 
234; water on, 286; ^inflamma- 
tion, 293. 

3ran for horses 

Braxy S, 

Break-down behind P, 

Breaking down II, 

Breathing H, 46, 100; thick, 116; 

broken, 115. 

Breathing aparatus P, 

Breeds H, 16; D, 

Bright's disease II, 

Broken hoof II, 

Broken wind II, 

Bronchitis. . .11, 104; O, 255-256-257 ; 
8,299; I), 340; C.363; P, 382, 389. 

Bruises 207 ; O, 289 ; I \ 

Brushing II, 

Buck tooth II, 

Buff Cochins 

Bullfinch, food for 

Bumble-foot P, 



295 

120 
382 

296 
266 

2s 1 
lid 

311 
155 

399 
156 



80 



304 
407 
163 



379 
323 
137 
171 
115 



315 

166 

89 

398 

419 
399 



429 



430 



INDEX. 



Burns D, 348 

Byerly-Turk line 13 

Cage for birds 412 

Cage birds 409-426 

Calving 268, 277 

Canary, food for 416 

Canker of the feet H, 173 

Canker of the mouth. .D, 334; P, 382, 390 

Cannon bone H, 178 

Capped elbow H, 161 

Capped hock H, 159 

Capped knee H, 160 

Cardinal, food for 418 

Caries, H, of the face, 119 ; of the jaw, 88 

Carthorses 17 

Castration. ..H, 145; O, 276; Hg, 318; 

origin and history, 351; traits, 

352; varieties, 354; health, food 

and drink, 355; care of fur, 357; 

housing, 357 ; diseases, 358 If; 

medicines, 359; -with kittens, 365. 

Cataract H, 149 ; O, 287; D, 348 

Catarrh . . . H, 103 ; 0, 254 ; S, 299 ; D, 

334; C, 361; P, 388; B, 420. 

Cattle plague 279-251 

Cerates, see Formulas 4'-'8 

Cerebro-spinal fever II, 52 

Chaffinch, food for 409 

Chapped heel H, 126 

Chaps O, 260 

Chicken powders. 377 

Chicken pox P, 399 

Chickens, care and treatment 369 

Chills, see Ague P, 403 

Chipp P, 390 

Choking H, 85; O, 288 ; D, 338 

Chlorea, Hg, simple, 31 1 ; false, 312 ; P, 380 

Circulation H, 93 

Clans B, deformed, 425 

Cleveland Bays 17 

Clipping H, 227 

Clothing 11,226 

Clover for horses 210 

Clover sickness O, 239 

Clydsdale horses 17 

Coat for horses 41 

Cock, sketch of 368 

Coffin bone 168 

Cold. ..H, 103; O, 254; S, 299; D, 340; 

P, 388 ; B, 420. 
Colic. . . H, 65, 85 ; O, 243-247 ; S, 297 ; 

Hg, 317;D, 336. 

Collar-galls H, 131 

Colt-trotting 37 

Comb, white P, 40 1 

Concretions H, 77 

Ccndy's Fluid 428 

Constipation . . . H, 80; O, 249 ; 8, 306 ; 

D, 336; C, 356; P, 394; B, 423. 
Consumption, H, 113; O, 256; S, 299; 

C, 3(53 ; P, 389 ; B, 420. 



Convulsions H, 42 ; O, 235 ; C, 

Coop for poultry 

Corn for horses 

Corns H, 

Coryza H, 103, 

Costiveness, see Constipation. 
Cough, varieties. . .H, 100; S, 299; D, 
342; P, 388. 

Cow hocked H, 

Cow pox 

Crack in the hoof. H, 

Crack in the skin O, 

Cramp H, 195 ; P, 

Crib biting 11, 

Crop bound 

Croup P, 

Crusta lactaea O, 

Cud .... O, 238 ; loss of, 243 ; S, loss of, 

Curb H, 157, 

Cuts.. H, 208; O, 289; S, 306; D, 348; 
P. 405. 

Crysts. . . O, in the skin, 

Darley line 

Deafness in H, 153 ; D, 

Debility P, 

Deformities P, 404; B, 

Delirium C, 

Dexter 

Diabetes H, 138; O, 

Diaphragm H, spasm of, 94, 

Diarrhoea... H, 69; O, 248-249; S, 296; 
C, 362; P, 394; B, 423. 

Digestion H, 43, 60 ; O, 

Diphtheria C, 361 ; P, 

Diseased cattle 

Diseases, signs of, H, O, S, Hg, and 
D, 41, 181,373, 3d0. 

Dislocations H, 213; O, 289 ; S, 

Distemper H, 192; O, 281; D, 332, 

Dizziness O, 236 ; B, 

Dog. ..breeds, 323; uses, 323; traits, 
321; origin 321; diseases, 329; 
care, 329. 
Doses, frequency, 428; size, 428; alter- 
nation, 431; of particular reme- 
dies 432, ff; for domestic animals, 

Douglas mixture P, 

Draught horses 

Dropsy, H, 199; 0,262,283; S,306; D, 

Druggists' weights and measures 

Dry murrain O, 240, 

Ducks 

Dumb braxy S, 

Duodenum O, 

Dust balls O, 

Dutch horses 

Dysentery. . . . H, 70 ; O, 248 ; S, 296 ; 
Hg, 318; D, 3:J6; C, 362; P, 394, 

Dysyepsia H, 81 ; P, 

Ear H, 147, 153 ; D, disorders of, 

346; C, 357; P, mottled, 401. 



360 
370 
223 
173 
254 



157 
271 
174 
260 
397 
83 
392 
382 
262 
306 
181 



261 

347 
397 
425 
360 
6 
267 
117 



237 
391 

289 



306 
363 
422 



429 

377 

16 

348 

43a 

281 
369 
301 

238 
253 

17 

423 
391 



INDKX. 



i::i 



Eczema of the ear D, 343; C, 3G4 

fcgg-bound P, 406 

jglgg-eating P, 408 

Egg-food for birds 416 

Eight-tailed bandage 100 

Elbow-capped II, 161 

Elephantiasis P, 398 

Emetics in poisoning H, 69; O, 239 

Endocarditis H, 95 

Epilepsy. .II, 50; !S, 294; Hg, 310 D, 
334; B, 422. 

Epizootic II, 198 

Eruptions H, 123; O, 200 

Erysipelas H, 130; O, 204; Hg, 3 is 

Exercise, excessive H, 220 ; D, 331 

Eye. . H, inflammation, 147-148; poly- 
pus and warts on, 152-153; O, in- 
flammation, 28? ; D, disorders of, 
346; C, inflamed, 361; P, 391; 
B, 4:24. 

Eyelids, inflamed H, 152-153; O, 287 

Face P, mottled, 401 

False cholera Hir, 312 

False quarter II, 175 

Farcy 195 

Fatness B, 424 

Feather eating P, 408 

i Feet, care of. ..H, nail in, 178; found- 
er, 169; fever, 169; ulcerated, see 
Quittor, Thrush, etc, care of, 228; 
B, sore, 424. ♦ 

i Fetlock H, sprain of, 163 

| Fever. . .H, brain, 46; cerebro-spinal, 
52; nervous, 53; scarlet, 184; sim- 
ple, 180; splenic, 2u0; typhoid, 
181 ; O, acclimating, 281 ; brain, 
233; gastric, 281; inflammatory, 
273 ; milk, 277 ; nervous, 275 ; per- 
iodic, 281; simple, 273; Spanish, 
281 ; splenic, 275, 281; Texas, 281 ; 
S, 306; Hg, brain, 316; intestinal, 
311; D, inflammatory, 338; nerv- 
ous, 339 ; putrid, 339. 

Filth, in hogs 309 

Finhces, food for 419 

Fistula. . . . H, of salivary glands, 91, 

180; withers, 204; of nose, 206. 
Fits ...H, 51; O, 235; S, 294; Hg, 
314; C, 360. 

Fleas D, 344; C, 306. 

Fledging P, 402; B, 425. 

Flemish horses 17 

Flesh B, loss and excess of, 424 

Flooding, after delivery. . .H, 143; O, 267 

Fluke's disease O, 253 ; S, 297 

Flukes O, 253; S, 297 

Fly in the nose S, 301 

Foaling, difficult 142 

Fomentation H, 108 

Food. . .H, 220 IF; Hg, 310; D, 329; C, 355 
Foot. . .H, anatomy, 168, 229; D, sore, 348 



Foot and mouth disease 241, 288; 

Hg, 310-811; P, 37:;. 

Foot-founder II, 109-171 ; O, 38-1 

Foot-rot O, 285 ; S, 802 

Formulas 427 

Foul H, 141 

Founder in the feet II, 169-171 

Four-year-old trot t ing 39 

Fractures. .H, 204; <>, 289; S, 306; I), 
214, 318, 340; C, 366; P, 405; B, 420. 

French Commission 221-222 

Frenzy Hg, 316 

Frog of foot H, 163 

Frost bite P, 403; B, 42 i 

Fungous growths O, 261 

Fur ( ', care of, 357 

Galls II, of saddles, etc., 131 

Gapes 1', :;-- 

Gape worms P, 395 ; B, 421 

Geese 309 

Generative organs . . . .H, 45, 133; O, 265 

Giddiness . O, 230; S, 29:; 

Glanders 192 

Gleet,; nasal H, 117 

Gloss Anthras O, 242, 276 

Goat, the 293 

Godolphin line 12 

Goitre O, 263 ; S, 30 1 

Goldsmith Maid 22 

Gonorrhoea H, 141 ; O, 27 1 ; D, 348 

Grain sickness 0, 2: !> 

Grass as food II, 220; C, 35 i 

Grass staggers O, 240 

Gray Games P, 375 

Grease H, 122, 180, 185, 197 

Gripes, see Colic, Diarrhoea, Dysen- 
tery and Enteritis. 

Grooming 225- 

Grunter H, 110 

Guinea Fowls, see Poultry. 

Gullet H, stricture of, 92 

Haemorrhage, see Bleeding. 

Hafiz : 59 

Hair-balls O, -53 

Handsome Tom 350 

Hay for horses 220 

Head . . . O, water and insects in, 286; 

S, water in, 295; P, sore, 890-391. 

Health, signs of, H, O, S, Hg, and I), -11 11". 

Heart.. H, dropsy, 94; dilatation, 90; 

enlargement, 90; inflammation, 

95; wasting, 96. 

Heaves 11,115 

Heel 11, chapped and cracked, 120 

Hen, distemper 380 

Hernias, see Ruptures. 

Hiccough II 94, 117 

Hide-bound II, 129, 264 

Hinda Hose 31 

Hoarseness P, 382 ; B, 420 



432 



INDEX. 



Hock. .H, capped, 159-160; sprained, 

160; F, cracked, 405. 
Hog, skeleton, 308; anatomy and 

physiology, 309 ; feed and care, 309 
Hoof". . . H, contraction of, 176 ; crack 
in, 178. 

Hoof-bound H, 176 

Horns O, broken, 289 

Horse. .Arabian, 5; prehistoric, 13; 
in history, 4; modern, 5; thor- 
oughbred, 8; racers, 14; draught, 
16; skeleton, 40; health and dis- 
ease, 41, 181; an atomy and phys- 
iology, 40-41, 134; sketch, 122; 
proportions, 206-207 ; care, 205 ff. 
Household remedies and appliances, 431 

Hydrocephalus S, 295 

Hydrophobia, H. 54; O, 234 ; S, 294; D, 330 
Hygiene . . H, 215 ; Hg, 309 ; D, 329 ; C, 
^355 ; P, 370, B, 412. 

Indian meal poultice 148 

Indigestion .H, 81; O, 244; D, 334; P, 391 
Inflammation, see Brains, Bowels, 
Lungs, Eye, eic. 

Inflammatory fever O, 273; D, 338 

Influenza H, 188; P, 382 

Infusions 428 

Injuries, 181; H, O, 273, 289; Hg, 318; 
D, 348; C, 366; P, 404; B, 425. 

Insanity H, 55 

Interfering. .. .H, see Brushing and 

Speedy Cut. 
Intestin.es, disorders of, see Bowels. 
Itch.... H, 127; 0,262; Hg, 318; D, 
344; P, 399. 

Itching of the mane H, 128 

Jaundice O, 250 

Jaw, open joint H, 209 ; caries, 88 

Jay-Eye-See .... 15 

Johnston H, 38 

Joint oil H, 154 

Joints. . . .H, 154; inflammation, 154; 
ulcerated, 159 ; open, 177; O, open, 
289; swollen, 286 ; dislocated, 203 ; 
S, swollen, 302. 
Kidneys. .H, 134; inflammation, 133; 
O, inflammation, 265-267 ; D, in- 
flammation, 345. 

Kittens, new born 365 

Knee. . .H, capped, 160; broken, 161 ; 
sprained, 161; O, sponge on, 261. 

Lady Thorn 9 

Lambing . . 303 

Lameness . . H, see Quittor, Sprains, 
etc. ; P, 405. 

Laminitis H, 169 

Lam pas 90 

La Porte's, proportion 216-217 

Lark, food for 419 

Laryngitis, see Inflammation of the 
Larynx. 



Larynx H, inflammation, 107 

Leg, weakness P, 397 

Leprosy Hg, 3 14 

Lice ... H, 128 ; O, 262-263 ; S, 300 ; 

Hg, 318; D, 344; P, 372. 402; B, 425 

Light, effect on body P, 371; B, 424 

Lights, rising of Hg, 315 

Lime water, see Formulas. 

Lincolnshire Blacks 17 

Linnets, food for 419 

Liver .. H, 144 ; inflammation, 74; O, 
inflammation, 250 ; worms in, 252 ; 
flukes in, 253; S, inflammation, 
297 ; flukes in, see Rot; D, inflam- 
mation, 337; P, diseases of, 392; 
B, 422. 
Liver complaint, see Liver. 
Liver disease, see Liver; P, 392. 

Liver spots B, 422 

Lockjaw H, 56; 0,235, 295; Hg, 316 

Lost, of cud O, 240 ; 8, 306 

Lotions, see Formulas. 
Lungs. . H, congestion, 109 ; consump- 
tion, 113; inflammation, 104-110; 
O, inflammation, 146 ; D, inflam- 
mation, 342. 
Mad dogs, bites of, see Madness. 
Madness. .H, 54; O, 234; S, 294; Hg, 
316; D, 330. 

Mad staggers H, 47 ; O, 233; Hg, 316 

Maggots O, in the flesh, 263; S, 301 

Mallanders. . . .' H, 129, 180 

Mane H, itching, 12« 

Mange. . H, 127; O, 262; Hg, 318; D, 
344 ; C, 364. 

Maniplies O, 237 

Marasmus O, 250, 262 

Materia Medica 427 ff. 

Maud S 2 

Measles Hg, 314 

Measures, apothecaries and for home, 430 

Medicine chest 431 

Medicines, see Remedies. 

Megrims H, 51 ; P, 396 

Milk. .0, diseased, 290; Hg and P, as 
food for, 310. 

Milk fever O, 217 ; S, 303 

Milk scab O, 263 

Miscarriage H, 142; O, 269; S, 303 

Mites, red P, 372, 403 ; B, 425 

Mocking bird, food for 417 

Moon-biindness H, 148 

Moor-ill 0,245 

Mottled face and ears P, 4nl 

Moulting P, 402; B, 425 

Mouth H, inflammation, 87; sign 

of disease, 43; O, ulcerated, 241; 
S, black, 296; ulcerated, 295; D, 
canker, 334 ; P, canker, 390. 

Mule, the 41 

Mumps H, 186 



i \m:\. 



133 



Murrain.. O, dry, 240; bloody, 276- 

278; lungs, 258; yellow, 281. 

Nails in the "flesh II. ITS, 208 

Nasal catarrh. .II, 103; O, 254; S. 299; 

1), 334; C, 361; P, 38^ ; B, 420. 

Nasal gleet H, 117 

Navicular bone H, 168 

Navacular disease H, 178 

Nephrites, see Bright 1 s Disease. 

Nervous fever H, 53 ; O, 275 ; D, 339 

Nervousness II, 43-46; O, 233 

Nightingale, food for 418 

Norman horses 17 

Nose. ..H, fistula in, 206; polypus in, 

121; S, fly in, 301. 

Nose bleed H, 120 

Oats for horses 222 

Ointment, see Formulas. 

Omasum O, 237 

One-year-old trotting 39 

Open joints H, 177 

Opthalmia . D, 346 

Origin. .H, 12; trotting, 19; D, 321; C, 351 

Original trotter 18 

Ovaries P, 406 

Over-reach H, 166 

Overwork H, 214 

Oviduct . . . P, 406 ; inflammation, 406 ; 

protrusion, 407. 

Ovulation P, 406 

Ox, the.. 231; skeleton of, 232; sketch 

of, 232; points of, 232; stomach, 237 
Pacers, origin of trotters, 26; records, 39 

Pacing 39 

Pairing fever B, 424 

Palpitation of the heart H, 93 

Paralysis. .H, 49; O, 234; S, 294; Hg, 

318; D, 333; P, 396. 
Parasites, see Worms and Lice. 

Parrot, food for 429 

Parturition. . . .H, 142; O, 268, 277; S, 303 

Paunch 0,260 

Peas for horses 222 

Peerless 27 

Penis. .H, protrusion of, 145; dogged, 145 

Peritonitis H, 75; O, 252 

Pharyngitis H, 109 

Pharynx H, inflammation, 109 

Piles H, 77; 0,253 

Pimples. . . . H, 123 ; see Eruptions. 

Pinkeye H, 100 

Pip P, 389 

Pitchfork wounds, see Stabs H, 208 

Pleurisy H, 114; O, 256-259; D, 342 

Pleuro-pneumonia 258 

Pneumonia. .H, 110; S, 299; Hg, 315; 

D, 342. 

Poisoning H, 73; O, 288; P, 404 

Polish Fowls 400 

Poll evil H, 180, 206 

Polypus H, in the nose, 121 



Poultry, care and treatment 360 

Pox. ! O, 271; S, 304; (J, 365; P, 39 l 

Precautions in sickness P, 3 7<; 

Privates, see Genital Organs. 

Prurigo II, 121 

Pterygium H, 152; I>, 348 

Pudenda O, inflammation, 30 "• 

Puerperal fever (), 303 

Pulse, its indications II, 42 

Pumiced feet H, 171 

Purpua hemorrhagica H, 201 

Pustules O, 260 

Putrid fever D, 339 

Quarter, false H, 175 

Quinsy Hg, 812; P, 382 

Quittor H, 167, 181 

Rabies H, 54; O, 234; S, 294; D, 330 

Race horses 8-16 

Rectum. .0, protrusion, 252; II g, pro- 
trusion, 318; D, protrusion, 31 s . 

Red, shooting the turkeys 402 

Red-bird, food for 418 

Red-mites P, 403 ; B, 425 

Red-water O, 245, 247, 281 ; S, 306 

Remedies, choice of, 427; decoctions, 
dilutions, doses, infusions, solu- 
tions, triturations and washes, 
428; cerates, liniments, lotions 
and ointments, 428; P, 376. 
Respiration. . H, 44; organs of, 100; 

O, organs of, 254; 8, organs of, 299 
Respiratory organs, see Respiration. 

Reticulum 0,237 

Rheumatism. .H, 193; O, 282; S, 306; 
P, 397. 

Rinderpest 241, 279-280 

Ringbone II, 176, ISO 

Ringworm H, 129; O, 264; 0, 364 

Rising of the lights Hi, 315 

Roaring H, 116 

Robin, food for 418 

Rob Roy 320 

Roots for horses 220 

Rot S,297; P, 401 

Roup P, :: s '2 

Rumen O and S, 238 

Rump gland B, obstruction, 424 

Rupture. . . II, 78; O, 289; Hg, 318; B, 42:5 

Russian cattle plague 279 

Rysdyk's Hambletonian 21 

Saddle galls 131, 181 

Salivation II, 90; D, 334 

Salivary calculi II, 91 

Salivary fistula II, 91 

Sallenders II. 129 

Sandcrack H, 174, 181 

Scab S, 299 

Scalds I), 348 

Scaly legs P, 398 

Scarlet fever H, 182 

Scouring H, 69; O, 248 



434 



INDEX. 



Scratching II, 124 

Scurfy skin P, 401 

Seedy toe H, 1 7 1 

Sheep, the ■ 291 ff. 

Sheep-pox 804 

Shins, sore H, 175 

Shoeing H, 229 

Shoulder, lameness H, 212 

Side bone H, 176 

Siskin, food for 419 

Sitting fever P, 408 

Skeleton H, 40; 0,282; Hg, 808 

Sketch H, 122; 0,232; P, 368 

Sleepy staggers H, 47-48 

Sling, for the horse 164 

Slobbers H, 90; D, 334 

Small-pox H, 185 

Sniffles. .Hg, 315; D, 840; see Snuffles. 

Snuffles P, 382 

Sole of the foot H, 168 

Solution of the remedies 428 

Sore eyes B, 424 

Sore feet D, 348 ; B, 424 

Sorehead P, 391, 400 

Sore teats O, 270 

Sore throat. .H, 197; O, 255; D, 340; 
C, 361 ; P, 382. 

Spanish fever O, 281 

.Spasms . . C, 360 

Spavin, bog •. 155; bone, 156, 180 

Spaying .Hg, 818 

Speed, ultimate H, 26, 89 

Spleen . . . O, inflammation, 251 ; S, in- 
flammation, 306; Hg, inflamma- 
tion, 318. 

Splenic fever O, 275, 281 

Splint H, 164, 180 

Sponge O, 261 

Sprains . H, 211 ; hock, 160 ; knee, 160 ; 

fetlock, 163 ; stifle, 163 ; O, 289 ; S, 306 

St. Julien 11 

Stables. , H, 227 

Stabs H, 208 

Staggers, H, see Sleepy, Grass, Mad, 
and Stomach Staggers; O, crass, 
240 ; mad, 233 ; S, 293, Hg, 816 ; P, 396 

Staking H, 210 

Star-gazer H, 51 

Starling, food for 419 

Steaming-bag 105 

Stifle joint H, sprained, 163 

Stings H, 132; 0,264 

Stomach . . H, 184 ; pain in, 85 ; inflam- 
mation, 72; O, 237; inflammation, 
244; D, inflammation, 335 ; C, in- 
flammation, 862; P, inflamma- 
tion, 395. 

Stomach Staggers H, 47, 49, 65, 83 

Stone in the kidaeys or bladder. . .H, 

139; 0,267. 
Strains, see Sprains. 



Strangles H, 192; O, 296; Hg, 312 

Straw for horses .*. 221 

Sty for hogs 309 

Surfeit H, 194, 197; O, 264; D, 343 

Swallow H, structure of, 92 

Sweat, malady P, 408 

Sweeny 211 

Swine-pox 313 

Swollen bones O, 289 

Synovites H, 154 

Table of horses' food . 2 - ,'4 

Tail H, itching of, 128; disease of, 2^6 

Tape worm H, 79 

Teats ...O, sore, 270; D, inflamma- 
tion, 346. 
Teeth. . . . H, 60-64; caries and irreg- 
ularities, 89. 

Teething C, 362 

Tetanus H, 56; 0,235; S, 295 

Tetter H, 129 

Texas cattle plague 280 

Texas fever O, 28 1 

Thick- wind H, 116 

Thorns, wound by 208 

Thorough-pin H, 154-155 

Three-year-old, trotting 39 

Throat, sore..H, 187; swollen, see 
Golds and Mumps; pus in, 118 ; O, 
sore, 255 ; sore, 361. 

Thrush H, in the feet, 172; in the 

mouth, 88; O, 241; S, 306. 

Thrush B, food for, 417 

Ticks S, 806 ; D, 344 

Time records H, 19 

Titmouse, food for = 418 

Toe, seedy H, 171 

Tongue. . H, 43; laceration, 210; hang- 
ing of, 92; O, black, 242; inflam- 
mation of, 242. 

Toothache H, 89 

Tread H, 166, 180 

Trichinae, see Trichinosis. 

Trichinosis Hg, 310 

Trotters bred from pacers 26 ff.; 

breeds, 30 ; colts, 37. 

Trotting origin, 19; speed, 26 

Tubercles O, 261 

Tumors O, 261 ; D, 348 ; P, 399 

Turkeys 369 

Two-year-old trotting 39 

Tympanitis O, 239 ; S, 296 

Typhoid fever H, 183 

Typhus fever , . . „ O, 248, 274 

Udder, inflammation. .H, 144; O, in- 
flammation, 270; S, inflamma- 
tion, 295. 

Ulcers H, 204; O, 289 

Ureters H, 134 

Urethra H, inflammation, 145 

Urinary organs H, 45, 133-134; O, 265 

Urine.. H, 45 ; bloody, 140; scanty, 139; 



135 



excessive, 138; O, bloody, 266; re- 
tention of, 267; excessive, 267. 
Vagina . . . H, inversion, 148; inflam- 
mation, 144. 

Varicose veins H, 98 

Veins. . M, inflammation, 97 ; swollen, 98 

Ventilation H, 215; P, 871 ; B, 414 

Vertigo H, 51; B, 422 

Visum ... ,, H, obscured, 151 

Vomiting D, 335 

Warts H, 130; O, 260 ; D, 348 

Washes, see Lotions 428 

Water on the brain O, 286 

Water braxy 8, 304 

"Water crop P, 392 

Water founder H, 168 

Weed H, 101, 197 

Weights and measures 430 

Whirl-bone II, dislocated, 213 

AVhistling H, 116 

White comb P, 401 

Wind H, broken, 115; thick, 116 

Wind galls H. 154-155 

Wind-pipe H, sound in, 107 



Wind puffs II, 155 

Wind-sucking II, 63 

Withers H, fistulous, 180,204 

Wolf tooth II, 89 

Womb. .11, inversion, 148; (), falling, 
269; inflammation, 268; protru- 
sion, 848. 

Wood evil O, 245 

Worms, in the skin. . II, 182; in the 
bowels, 79; O, in the back, 263; 
in the bowels, 252; in die air 
tubes, 257; in the liver, 258; S, in 
thebowels, 297; Hg, in the bow- 
els, 317; D, in the bowels, 837; P, 
the bowels, 395; B, in the wind 
pipe, 421. 

Wounds H, contussion, 207; 

incised, 208 ; punctured, 208r lac- 
erated, 209; care of, 210; O, 289; 
S, 806; D, 34S ; P, 404. 

Yaws P, 382 

Yellow Hammer, food for 419 

Yellows, see Jaundice C, 863 




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